Physical properties of trans-Neptunian object (143707) 2003 UY<sub>117</sub> derived from stellar occultation and photometric observations

Context . Trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) are considered to be among the most primitive objects in our Solar System. Knowledge of their primary physical properties is essential for understanding their origin and the evolution of the outer Solar System. In this context, stellar occultations are a powerful and sensitive technique for studying these distant and faint objects. Aims . We aim to obtain the size, shape, absolute magnitude, and geometric albedo for TNO (143707) 2003 UY 117 . Methods . We predicted a stellar occultation by this TNO for 2020 October 23 UT and ran a specific campaign to investigate this event. We derived the projected profile shape and size from the occultation observations by means of an elliptical fit to the occultation chords. We also performed photometric observations of (143707) 2003 UY 117 to obtain the absolute magnitude and the rotational period from the observed rotational light curve. Finally, we combined these results to derive the three-dimensional shape, volume-equivalent diameter, and geometric albedo for this TNO. Results . From the stellar occultation, we obtained a projected ellipse with axes of (282 ± 18) × (184 ± 32) km. The area-equivalent diameter for this ellipse is D eq,A = 228 ± 21 km. From our photometric R band observations, we derived an absolute magnitude of H V = 5.97 ± 0.07 mag using V − R = 0.46 ± 0.07 mag, which was derived from a V band subset of these data. The rotational light curve has a peak-to-valley amplitude of ∆m = 0.36 ± 0.13 mag. We find the most likely rotation period to be P = 12.376 ± 0.0033 hours. By combining the occultation with the rotational light curve results and assuming a triaxial ellipsoid, we derived axes of a × b × c = (332 ± 24) km × (216 ± 24) km × (180 −24 +28 ) km for this ellipsoid, and therefore a volume-equivalent diameter of D eq,V = 235 ± 25 km. Finally, the values for the absolute magnitude and for the area-equivalent diameter yield a geometric albedo of p V = 0.139 ± 0.027.

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Journal
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Published
2024-10-02
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202451329
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Astro and Planetary Science
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.66

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article

Physical properties of trans-Neptunian object (143707) 2003 UY117 derived from stellar occultation and photometric observations

J. Lecacheux, N. Morales, T. Haymes, S. Cikota et al.
2 citations
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astro and Planetary Science
0.66
article

Physical properties of trans-Neptunian object (143707) 2003 UY117 derived from stellar occultation and photometric observations

J. Lecacheux, N. Morales, T. Haymes, S. Cikota, A. Pratt, R. Boninsegna, A. Guijarro, J. L. Maestre, M. Sánchez, A. Álvarez-Candal, F. Murgas, A. Sota, Ε. Πάλλη, B. Sicardy, Emmanuël Jehin, B. Morgado, M. Vara-Lubiano, Y. Kılıç, E. Fernández-Valenzuela, G. Benedetti-Rossi, F. Casarramona, M. Serra-Ricart, J. Licandro, J. Talbot, P. Santos-Sanz, O. Çakır, R. Morales, R. Duffárd, M. Kretlow, Françoise Roques, I. de la Cueva, D. Souami, R. Vieira-Martins, Marcel Popescu, M. R. Alarcón, J. I. B. Camargo, A. J. Castro‐Tirado, F. Braga-Ribas, R. C. Boufleur, F. L. Rommel, M. Assafin, Süleyman Fişek, A. Gomes-Junior, R. Leiva, J. M. Gómez-Limón, S. Kidd, J. L. Ortiz, Emilio Fernández-García, J. Marques-Oliveira, J. L. Rizos, J. Desmars, J. J. Castellani
article en
2 citations

Abstract

Context . Trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) are considered to be among the most primitive objects in our Solar System. Knowledge of their primary physical properties is essential for understanding their origin and the evolution of the outer Solar System. In this context, stellar occultations are a powerful and sensitive technique for studying these distant and faint objects. Aims . We aim to obtain the size, shape, absolute magnitude, and geometric albedo for TNO (143707) 2003 UY 117 . Methods . We predicted a stellar occultation by this TNO for 2020 October 23 UT and ran a specific campaign to investigate this event. We derived the projected profile shape and size from the occultation observations by means of an elliptical fit to the occultation chords. We also performed photometric observations of (143707) 2003 UY 117 to obtain the absolute magnitude and the rotational period from the observed rotational light curve. Finally, we combined these results to derive the three-dimensional shape, volume-equivalent diameter, and geometric albedo for this TNO. Results . From the stellar occultation, we obtained a projected ellipse with axes of (282 ± 18) × (184 ± 32) km. The area-equivalent diameter for this ellipse is D eq,A = 228 ± 21 km. From our photometric R band observations, we derived an absolute magnitude of H V = 5.97 ± 0.07 mag using V − R = 0.46 ± 0.07 mag, which was derived from a V band subset of these data. The rotational light curve has a peak-to-valley amplitude of ∆m = 0.36 ± 0.13 mag. We find the most likely rotation period to be P = 12.376 ± 0.0033 hours. By combining the occultation with the rotational light curve results and assuming a triaxial ellipsoid, we derived axes of a × b × c = (332 ± 24) km × (216 ± 24) km × (180 −24 +28 ) km for this ellipsoid, and therefore a volume-equivalent diameter of D eq,V = 235 ± 25 km. Finally, the values for the absolute magnitude and for the area-equivalent diameter yield a geometric albedo of p V = 0.139 ± 0.027.

Astronomy and AstrophysicsVol. 691
University of Central Florida (US), Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (BR), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Alicante (ES), Planetary Science Institute (US), University of Namur (BE), University of Liège (BE), Akdeniz University (TR), Université Paris Cité (FR), Université de Lille (FR), Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (FR), Observatoire de Paris (FR), Sorbonne Université (FR), Calar Alto Observatory (ES), Valongo Observatory (BR), TÜBİTAK National Observatory (TR), Institut Supérieur de Musique et de Pédagogie (BE), Laboratoire d’études spatiales et d’instrumentation en astrophysique (FR), Hospital de Sabadell (ES), Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (ES), Laboratório Interinstitucional de e-Astronomia (BR), Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (ES), Agrupación Astronómica de la Safor (ES), Universidade Federal do Paraná (BR), Romanian Academy (RO), Institut Polytechnique des Sciences Avancées (FR), Istanbul University (TR), Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (BR), Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) (BR), University of California, Berkeley (US), Macquarie University (AU)
Science and Technology Facilities Council
Openalex Percentile: Top 28%
Astro and Planetary Science
0.66
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