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
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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
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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.
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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.
We report on photometric observations of two main-belt asteroids, 1990 Pilcher and 8443 Svecica, that were acquired from 2017 March to May. We found the synodic rotation period of 1990 Pilcher as 2.842 ± 0.001 h and amplitude of 0.08 ± 0.03 mag and of 8443 Svecica as 20.998 ± 0.001 h and amplitude of 0.62 ± 0.03 mag.
A rotation period of 5.69 h ± 0.03 h and an amplitude of 0.03 mag has been derived from one night of observations of main-belt asteroid 10041 Parkinson.
Asteroid Lightcurve Analysis at CS3-Palmer Divide Station: 2017 April thru June
Lightcurves for 16 main-belt asteroids were obtained at the Center for Solar System Studies-Palmer Divide Station (CS3-PDS) from 2017 April thru June. Many of the asteroids were “strays” in the field of planned targets, demonstrating a good reason for data mining images. Analysis shows that the Hungaria asteroid (45878) 2000 WX29 may be binary.
Rotation Period Determination for 46 Hestia, 118 Peitho, 333 Badenia, 356 Liguria, and 431 Nephele
Synodic rotation periods were determined for five mainbelt asteroids: 341 California, 317 h with suspected tumbling; 594 Mireille, 4.9671 ± 0.0004 h; 1115 Sabauda, 6.7165 ± 0.0007 h; 1504 Lappeenranta, 15.16 ± 0.01 h; and 1926 Demiddelaer, 32.095 ± 0.027 h. All the data have submitted to the ALCDEF database.
Rotation Period Determination for 213 Lilaea
Pages 303 Pilcher, Frederick; Franco, Lorenzo; Odden Carline; Sydney, Marler; Paris, Lydia; Ward, Noah S.; Yung, Victor 2017MPBu...44..303PDownload PDF
CCD photometry of 213 Lilaea in April-May 2017 yields a synodic rotation period 12.042 ± 0.001 hours and a lightcurve amplitude of 0.20 ± 0.02 magnitudes.
Lightcurve Observations of Nine Main-belt Asteroids
Photometric observations of nine main-belt asteroids were obtained in 2014-2016. The selected objects all had unusually favourable apparitions. Lightcurves and rotation periods are presented for 1911 Schubart, 2042 Sitarski, 2383 Bradley, 3000 Leonardo, 4974 Elford, 5471 Tunguska, 8679 Tingstäde, (16206) 2000 CL39 and (24691) 1990 RH3.
Lightcurve analysis using MPO Canopus of three nights of observations of 2142 Landau produced a tentative rotation period of 19.2 ± 0.2 h, supporting a previous determination of 19.4 h.
The lightcurve of main-belt asteroid 1117 Reginita was determined using images taken at Xingming Observatory (C42) on four nights in 2017 Jan. Analysis of the observations shows a bimodal solution with a synodic rotation period of 2.946 ± 0.001 h and an amplitude of 0.15 mag.
Lightcurve and Rotation Period for Minor Planet 2504 Gaviola
CCD photometric observations using iTelescope T21 of asteroid 2504 Gaviola were made in April 2017. A rotation period of 8.751 ± 0.003 h and lightcurve amplitude of 0.31 mag was determined from two nights of observations.
CCD observations made of the asteroid 4404 Enirac during 2017 April led to a lightcurve with a rotation period of 2.9979 ± 0.0003 h and an amplitude of 0.27 mag.
Lightcurve Analysis for Near-Earth Asteroid (138404) 2000 HA24
Pages 310 Hayes-Gehrke, Melissa; de La Beaujardiere, Jack; Kotgire, Prathamesh; Piel, Austin; King, Miles; Tran, Kenneth; Kenyon, Jackson; Hagen, David; Fulling, Liam; Walters, Jason; Acuna, Alexander 2017MPBu...44..310HDownload PDF
Lightcurve analysis of asteroid (138404) 2000 HA24 from a single night of observation, 2017 April 17, yielded an estimated rotation period of 3.8 ± 0.2 h, with an amplitude of 0.3 mag.
Rotation Periods for Three Main-belt Asteroids
Pages 311-312 Franco, Lorenzo; Baj, Giorgio; Tinella, Vito; Bachini, Mauro; Succi, Giacomo; Casalnuovo, Giovanni Battista; Bacci, Paolo 2017MPBu...44..311FDownload PDF
Franco, Lorenzo; Baj, Giorgio; Tinella, Vito; Bachini, Mauro; Succi, Giacomo; Casalnuovo, Giovanni Battista; Bacci, Paolo %B Photometric observations of three main-belt asteroids were made from Italy in order to determine their synodic rotation periods. For 1022 Olympiada the period is 3.834 ± 0.001 hr, amplitude 0.66 mag. For 1602 Indiana the results are 2.601 ± 0.001 hr and 0.16 mag. and for 2501 Lohja we report 3.809 ± 0.001 hr and 0.44 mag.
Lightcurve Analysis of L4 Trojan Asteroids at the Center for Solar System Studies 2017 April-June
Synodic rotation periods and amplitudes are found for 131 Vala 5.1802 ± 0.0002 hours, 0.08 ± 0.01 magnitudes; and for 612 Veronika 8.243 ± 0.001 hours, 0.09 ± 0.01 magnitudes.
(24495) 2001 AV1 - A Suspected Very Wide Binary
Pages 319-320 Stephens, Robert D.; Warner, Brian D.; Aznar Macias, Amadeo; Benishek, Vladimir 2017MPBu...44..319SDownload PDF
We report that asteroid (24495) 2001 AV1 is a binary asteroid. It is another candidate for the special case of very wide binaries. The primary lightcurve has a period of 24.083 ± 0.005 h and an amplitude 0.58 ± 0.05 mag. and the secondary lightcurve has a period of 2.7375 ± 0.0001 h.
CCD photometric observations of the near-Earth asteroid (190166) 2005 UP156 in 2017 May show it to be a fully-synchronous binary with rotation and orbital period P = 40.542 ± 0.008 h. The estimated effective diameter ratio of the two bodies is 0.8 ± 0.1. However, the 0.5 mag out-of-eclipse lightcurve indicates quite elongated shapes and so the size ratio should be viewed with caution.
Lightcurve Analysis of the Near-Earth Asteroid 6063 Jason
Pages 325-326 Warner, Brian D.; Aznar Macias, Amadeo; Benishek, Vladimir; Oey, Julian; Gross, Roger 2017MPBu...44..325WDownload PDF
CCD photometric observations of the near-Earth asteroid 6063 Jason were made in 2017 June. A collaboration of five observers at widely-separated longitudes proved critical in finding a synodic period of 48.6 h, nearly commensurate with an Earth day, and confirming that the asteroid is most likely tumbling.
Lightcurve Analysis of Two Near-Earth Asteroids: 2010 VB1 and 2014 JO25
CCD photometric observations were made of the near- Earth asteroids (NEAs) 2010 VB1 in 2017 June and 2014 JO25 in 2017 April. The lightcurves for both asteroids showed significant day-to-day evolution due to changing viewing aspects. For 2010 VB1, the average synodic period was 0.18919 ± 0.0002 h while the amplitude decreased in near step with the phase angle, going from 0.99 mag at 54° to 0.61 mag at 27°. For 2014 JO25, the average synodic period was 4.60 ± 0.04 h. Its amplitude ranged from 0.39 to 0.14 mag.
Lightcurve Analysis of Hilda Asteroids at the Center for Solar System Studies: 2017 April thru July
Lightcurves for 31 near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) obtained at the Center for Solar System Studies-Palmer Divide Station (CS3-PDS) from 2017 April thru June were analyzed for rotation period and signs of satellites or tumbling.
Photometric observations of two main-belt asteroids were made from the Astronomical Observatory of the University of Siena (Italy) in order to determine their synodic rotation periods. For 3892 Dezso, we found a period of 3.629 h with an amplitude of 0.47 mag. For 14339 Knorre, the period was 3.795 h with an amplitude of 0.21 mag.
Using the Stull Observatory 0.82m telescope, from July 1998 to August 2002 we observed several asteroids to measure their rotation periods. We present lightcurves periods for 314 Rosalia, 1084 Tamarwina, 1758 Naantali, 1845 Helewalda, 2544 Gubarev, 3028 Zhangguoxi, 5215 Tsurui, (20713) 1999 XA32, and (234871) 1991 GT4.
Rotation Period Determination for 3760 Poutanen and 14309 Defoy
Photometric observations of the main-belt asteroids 3760 Poutanen and 14309 Defoy were performed in 2017 April-May. The data revealed a tri-modal lightcurve phased to a period of 2.956 ± 0.001 hours for 3760 Poutanen and a bimodal lightcurve phased to 3.391 ± 0.002 hours for 14309 Defoy.
We present lists of asteroid photometry opportunities for objects reaching a favorable apparition and having either none or poorly-defined lightcurve parameters. Additional data on these objects will help with shape and spin axis modeling via lightcurve inversion. We also include lists of objects that will be the target of radar observations. Lightcurves for these objects can help constrain pole solutions and/or remove rotation period ambiguities that might not come from using radar data alone.
This list gives those asteroids in this issue for which physical observations (excluding astrometric only) were made. This includes lightcurves, color index, and H-G determinations, etc. In some cases, no specific results are reported due to a lack of or poor quality data. The page number is for the first page of the paper mentioning the asteroid. EP is the "go to page" value in the electronic version.
