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.
Results for the follwing asteroids (lightcurve period and amplitude) observed from Santana Observatory during the period April to June 2003 are reported: 628 Christine (16.135 ± 0.01 hours and 0.22 mag.), 754 Malabar (11.740 ± 0.005 hours and 0.45 mag.), 815 Coppelia (4.421 ± 0.005 hours and 0.24 mag.), 1025 Riema (3.580 ± 0.005 hours and 0.14 mag.).
A Web-based tool to calculate observability of Koronis program asteroids
Results derived from rotation lightcurve studies of asteroids in the Koronis family have recently attracted much interest in the asteroid research community. I've developed a software application to identify which Koronis program objects that are in need of rotation lightcurve data are observable on a given date from a given location. This tool is now accessible on the Web at http://www.koronisfamily.com. Observers who wish to participate in the ongoing observing program may use this tool for targeting these objects' lightcurves.
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.
CCD photometric observations of the minor planet 4979 Otawara
The minor planet 4979 Otawara was observed during its 2001-2002 opposition. Unfiltered photometric CCD observations have revealed a 0.28 ± 0.03 mag peak-to-peak amplitude and a rotation period consistent with the 2.707 h value already known.
CCD images taken with the Tenagra Observatory 0.81-m telescope were used to plot lightcurves for three main-belt asteroids. A period of 4.993 ± 0.001 h was found for asteroid (28753) 2000 HA. A period of 5.505 ± 0.002 h was found for 1225 Ariane. Also, a period of 30.631 h was confirmed for 808 Merxia.
The asteroid 934 Thuringia was observed for two nights using CCD photometry during the month of October 1998. The period of rotation was 8.166 ± 0.006 hours, and the lightcurve had amplitude of 0.66 ± 0.03 magnitudes.
Asteroid Photometry Opportunities October-December 2003
This time we would like to point out some markers along the path from photometry to detailed asteroid shape and spin models. We cannot overemphasize the fact that all data are valuable (and will be used, most of them soon after the observation).
