The Minor Planet Bulletin BULLETIN OF THE MINOR PLANETS SECTION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF LUNAR AND PLANETARY OBSERVERS
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The Minor Planet Bulletin is the journal for almost all amateurs and even some professionals for publishing
asteroid photometry results, including lightcurves, H-G parameters, color indexes, and shape/spin axis models.
It is considered to be a refereed journal by the SAO/NASA ADS.
All MPB papers are indexed in the ADS.
Print subscriptions are no longer available to individuals. Institutions (e.g., college libraries) can still
obtain print copies via a special subscription. See details in MPB 37-4 or contact the editor, Richard Binzel.
Annual voluntary contributions of $5.00 or more in support of the publication are welcome.
Please send a check, drawn on a U.S. bank and payable in U.S. funds, to "Minor Planet Bulletin" and send it to:
Minor Planet Bulletin
c/o Melissa Hayes-Gehrke
UMD Astronomy Department
1113 PSC Bldg 415
College Park, MD 20742
Authors Guide and Word Templates
(v.3.0: updated 2024 February 2)
The ZIP file contains the Authors Guide PDF as well as a "starter" paper in Word 2007+ (DOTX).
Those using Word 97 (DOC/DOT) are encouraged to download
OpenOffice and convert their files to
the most recent Word format (DOCX). Please read this updated guide since there are a number of changes from previous guides.
A new, optional, table is available for those wanting to include physical and
discovery information
in a more accessible way.
See the announcement in Minor Planet Bulletin51-2.
The Pts column is no longer required and has been removed from the template for the standard
table
to allow more room for the other columns.
The phase column should have only two values: for the first and last date in the range.
If the phase reaches an extrema between those dates, put an asterisk before the first value.
For example,
*7.2,13.7.
Use semicolons to separate names in the references section. For example:
Smith, J.J.; Jones, A.A. (2019).
This also applies if using several references to the same author in the text. For example:
"This asteroid was observed at three previous apparitions (Jones, 2015; 2017; 2018)..."
Issues for the upcoming quarter-year are released on about the 21st of March, June, September, and December.
Full issues and individual papers from vol 1 (1973) to present are available via links on this page.
Important: If the ADS bibcode and "Download PDF" links are missing for the latest issue, it is because the ADS has
not processed the files. The links will be made available after the ADS processes the files.
If the "Download PDF" link is visible and there is no PDF available, clicking the link will download an arbitrary
page. We are working with ADS to make sure all papers are available and, if not, being able to diasable the link.
The "Download Full Issue" link does retrieve the correct file.
Vol 1-7 run Jul-Jun. Vol 8-present run Jan-Dec. Only papers indexed in the ADS are included.
Earlier volumes often contain more papers than listed here. It's recommended to download the
full issue in vol 1-9.
Lightcurve measurements of minor Planet 729 Watsonia obtained at Roach Motel Observatory reveal a lightcurve period of 16.71 ± 0.01 hours with an amplitude of 0.22 magnitude.
CCD Photometry of the Mars-crosser Asteroid 2099 Opik
Photometric observations of the small Mars-crossing asteroid 2099 Opik were made in 1998, on November 7 and 9, at Pianoro Observatory (Italy). The lightcurves display a most likely period of 9.3 h. This solution, howewer, is not unambiguous. There is also another possible period of 10.3 h. The amplitude is about 0.7 magnitudes.
It was gratifying to get the third quarter edition of the Minor Planet Bulletin a few months back and see so many asteroid lightcurves. I don't propose to take credit for this, though I was fortunate enough to help in some small way with most of those who submitted papers. A cheerleader does not win the game; it is the player on the field who achieves ultimate success but those on the sidelines can still take some pride in the team's victories.
Collaborative Asteroid Photometry of Thee Main Belt Asteroids
Overcoming the 24 hour commensurability of the Earth's rotation for mid-latitude observatories requires multiple sites widely separated in longitude. We report a collaborative lightcurve investigation between Thornton Observatory in the United States and Flarestar Observatory in Malta (separated in longitude by 119 degrees). Asteroid (565) Marbachia was determined to have a most likely period of 5.084 ± 0.005 hours and an amplitude of 0.22 mag. Asteroid (442) Eichsfeldia was found to have a period of 11.871 ± 0.004 hours with an amplitude of 0.38 mag. Asteroid (509) Iolanda exhibited a period of 12.306 ± 0.003 hours with an amplitude of 0.35 mag. Unraveling the near 24-hour commensurabilities for (442) and (509) demonstrates the value of the widely spaced longitude collaboration.
Photometric observations of minor planet (201) Penelope were made at Las Campanas Observatory (Chile) on February 20, 2000 UT, using the 40-inch Swope telescope with the Site #1 CCO camera and a V-band filter, and at Serafino Zani Astronomical Observatory (Lumezzane, Italy) on March 4/5 21, 2000, using a 16- inches Ritchey-Chretien telescope with a Kaf400 CCO and a V-band filter. The obtained lightcurve for the known 3.747 hour period shows an amplitude of 0.55 ± 0.02; this asteroid can display a lightcurve amplitude from 0.15 mag. to 0.73 mag.
A lightcurve for 1582 Martir was measured in 2000 May at the Palmer Divide Observatory,located near Colorado Springs, CO. The period was found to be 15.757h ± 0.005h with an amplitude of 0.40m ± 0.03m.
Rotational Periods and Lightcurves of 891 Gunhild and 1017 Jacqueline
As part of a lightcurve photometry program, the lightcurves of two main belt asteroids were measured at Santana Observatory. 891 Gunhild was determined to have a rotational period of 7.93 ± 0.01 hours and an amplitude of 0.18 magnitude. 1017 Jacqueline was determined to have a rotational period of 7.87 ± 0.01 hours and an amplitude of 0.7 magnitude.
For 699 Hela we present an unambiguous and reliable synodic rotation period of 3.396 hours, correcting an earlier published aliased value. The problem of aliasing of lightcurve periods is explained, with means of guarding against their appearance suggested.
The Minor Planet Bulletin is open to papers on all aspects of minor planet study. Theoretical, observational, historical, review, and other topics from amateur and professional astronomers are welcome. The level of presentation should be such as to be readily understood by most amateur astronomers. The preferred language is English. All observational and theoretical papers will be reviewed by another researcher in the field prior to publication to insure that results are presented clearly and concisely. It is hoped that papers will be published within three months of receipt.
The increasing interest in asteroid lightcurve observations we see during several past months is encouraging. In order to avoid an unnecessary duplication of coverage of some asteroids and/or to obtain better results, we recommend observers to coordinate their efforts via the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL; http://www.MinorPianetObserver.com/astlc/default.html). We also point out that a correct and careful analysis of the observations is a necessary part of the lightcurve work. If you are uncertain about reliability and/or significance of your result, contact us.
