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
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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
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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.
CCD photometry of asteroids 651 Antikleia, 738 Alagasta, and 2151 Hadwiger obtained remotely at Tenagra Observatories during March, April and May 2004 is reported. Our lightcurve period and amplitude results: 651 Antikleia, 20.287±0.004 hr, 0.40±0.05 mag; 738 Alagasta, 17.83±0.04 hr, 0.20±0.03 mag; 2151 Hadwiger, 5.872±0.002 hr, 0.35±0.02 mag. The three asteroids show nearly symmetrical lightcurves, although a complete lightcurve for Antikleia was not obtained. Three other asteroids (1926 Demiddelaer, 2375 Radek and 4293 Masumi) were also observed on seven nights, but no satisfactory lightcurves could be obtained.
Lightcurves and periods for asteroids 2103 Laverna and 3445 Pinson
Two asteroids were selected from the CALL list for asteroids with unknown periods. Data were obtained on 8 nights between March 30 and April 8, 2005. The period and amplitude results are: 2103 Laverna 9.249±0.003 hr, 0.27 mag; 3445 Pinson 7.801±0.002 hr, 0.37 mag. Laverna shows a bump on the second rising branch of its bimodal light curve while Pinson exhibits a more or less symmetrical bimodal lightcurve.
Rose-Hulman spring 2005 lightcurve results: 155 Scylla, 590 Tomyris, 1655 Comas Solá, 2058 Roka, 6379 Vrba, and (25934) 2001 DC74.
CCD images recorded in March and April 2005 using the Tenagra Observatory 32-inch telescope yielded lightcurve periods and amplitudes for five asteroids: 155 Scylla 7.958±0.002 h, 0.20 mag; 590 Tomyris 5.55±0.05 h, 0.93 mag; 1655 Comas Solá 20.4±0.1 h, 0.20 mag; 2058 Roka 10.09±0.01 h, 0.50 mag; 6379 Vrba 5.11±0.01 h, 0.36 mag; (25934) 2001 DC74 19.1±0.05 h, 0.90 mag. Additionally, 12 targets listed herein were found to have too low a lightcurve amplitude after one night to continue following.
Asteroid photometry reports from Altimira Observatory - Winter 2004-2005
Lightcurve periods and amplitudes have been measured for asteroids 1021 Flammario (P=12.146±0.001 hr, 0.36 mag) and 2105 Gudy (P=15.788±0.004 hr, 0.28 mag, and H=11.4).
Photometric lightcurve observations of 125 Liberatrix, 218 Bianca, 423 Diotima, 702 Alauda, 1963 Bezovec, and (5849) 1990 HF1
Lightcurve period and amplitude results from Santana Observatory are reported for 2005 January-March. 816 Juliana (10.58±0.02 hours and 0.52 mag.), 1140 Crimea (9.77±0.01 hours and 0.28 mag.), 5215 Tsurui (3.81±0.01 hours and 0.24 mag.).
Minor planet 5878 Charlene was observed on six nights in early 2005 and found to have a synodic period 7.0584±0.0004 hours and an amplitude of 0.20±0.02 mag.
Rotational period determination for 62 Erato and 165 Loreley
Lightcurve period and amplitudes for 62 Erato and 165 Loreley were measured at the Shed of Science Observatory in late 2004 and early 2005. The synodic period and amplitude of 62 Erato are found to be 9.22±0.02 hr and 0.15 mag. The results for 165 Loreley are 7.22±0.01 hr and 0.09 mag.
Asteroid lightcurve results from Menke Observatory
Lightcurve observations made from three stations during 2004 Nov. 7 to Dec. 17 have revealed that 3220 Murayama is a probable binary asteroid. Primary's rotation period: 4.8595±0.0011 hr, amplitude: 0.13-0.15 mag. Secondary-to-primary mean diameter ratio: 0.4. The orbital period is unclear.
Asteroid lightcurve analysis at the Palmer Divide Observatory - spring 2005
The lightcurves for the following asteroids were obtained at the Palmer Divide Observatory and then analyzed to determine the synodic period and amplitude: 157 Dejanira, 209 Dido, 630 Euphemia, 731 Sorga, 858 El Djezair, 1042 Amazone, 1952 Hesburgh, 3066 McFadden, 3094 Chukokkala, 4418 Fredfranklin, and 5775 Inuyama. The solutions for 157 Dejanira, 630 Euphemia, 858 El Djezair, and 1952 Hesburgh are marginally secure at best.
It happens every year: I go to the Society for Astronomical Science’s (SAS) annual symposium in Big Bear, CA, and end up wanting to do even more things despite the fact I don’t have enough time to do half of what I’m trying to do. The meeting this past May was particularly filled with temptations this year. I felt like the little kid peering into the candy shop window.
Calibration of asteroid lightcurves to the standard magnitude system is often lacking due to the perceived difficulty. However, reasonably good calibration can be achieved through a simple method if standard star choices and measurements are made strategically. Using standard stars matching asteroid colors and performing calibration measurements at similar airmass values reduces the effects of most correction terms, allowing much simplification in the reductions.
We present here three lists of “targets of opportunity” for the period 2005 October – December. The first list is those asteroids reaching a favorable apparition during this period, are <15m at brightest, and have either no or poorly constrained lightcurve parameters. These circumstances make the asteroids particularly good targets for those with modest “backyard” telescopes, i.e., 0.2-0.5m.
