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
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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.
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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If the "Download PDF" link is visible and there is no PDF available, clicking the link will download an arbitrary
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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.
In this space we note the March 26 passing of Derald D. Nye, retired Distributor for the Minor Planet Bulletin, having served in that role for 37 years from 1983 through 2019; spanning MPB volumes 10- 46.
Lightcurve Analysis of Asteroids (21242) 1995 WZ41 and (44896) 1999 VB12
Photometric observations of asteroids (21242) 1995 WZ4 and (144896) 1999 VB12 and were made from the Phillips Academy Observatory (PAO) from 2020 December 23 to 2021 February 25. The respective rotational periods and amplitudes were determined to be: (21242) 1995 WZ41, P = 5.452 ± 0.001 h, A = 0.58 ± 0.07 mag; (44896) 1999 VB12, P = 8.054 ± 0.001 h, A = 0.69 ± 0.07 mag.
Lightcurve Based Rotational Period for Asteroids 1995 WZ41 and 99942 Apophis
Pages 203-204 Loera-González, Pablo; Olguín, Lorenzo; Saucedo-Morales, Julio; Núñez-López, Ramona; Domínguez-González, Rafael 2021MPBu...48..203LDownload PDF
Asteroids (21242) 1995 WZ41 and 99942 Apophis were studied during the late 2020 and early 2021 at the Observatorio Estelar Carl Sagan at Universidad de Sonora. We obtained for the former a period P = 5.4534 ± 0.0002 h and A = 0.56 mag, and for the later P = 30.4966 ± 0.0033 h and A = 0.63 mag.
Rotational Period and Lightcurve Determination of 3390 Demanet and (18640) 1998 EF9
Photometric observations of two asteroids were performed in order to acquire lightcurves and to determine the rotational periods. The synodic period and lightcurve amplitude were found for 3390 Demanet and (18640) 1998 EF9.
Rotation Period Determination for Asteroids 2243 Lonnrot, (10859) 1995 GJ7, (18640) 1998 EF9 and (49483) 1999 BP13
Photometric observations of four main-belt asteroids were conducted in order to determine their synodic rotation periods. For 2243 Lonnrot we found P = 3.813 ± 0.004 h, A = 0.14 ± 0.05 mag; for (10859) 1995 GJ7 we found P = 2.956 ± 0.001 h, A = 0.17 ± 0.05 mag; for (18640) 1998 EF9 we found P = 3.630 ± 0.001 h, A = 0.63 ± 0.02 mag; for (49483) 1999 BP13 we found P = 6.365 ± 0.005 h, A = 0.24 ± 0.03 mag.
Lightcurve and Rotation Period of the Tumbling Asteroid 1513 Matra
Based on CCD photometric observations of the main-belt asteroid 282 Clorinde, we report the results of the lightcurve analysis: P = 49.353 ± 0.004 h, A = 0.26 mag.
Rotation Period of Koronis Family Member (1442) Corvina
We report lightcurve observations of (1442) Corvina made during 2021 March. Analysis of our data, together with constraints from survey “sparse” data recorded during the 2019 and the 2020-21 apparitions, yields an unambiguous rotation period of 77.92 ± 0.03 h.
Asteroid Photometry from the Preston Gott Observatory
In this paper we present the lightcurves of four main-belt asteroids: 2712 Keaton, P = 3.360 ± 0.001 h, A = 0.18 mag; 4422 Jarre, P = 7.013 ± 0.001 h, A = 0.11 mag; (5343) 1999 RA44, P = 590.48 ± 0.46 h, A = 0.57 mag; (49548) 1999 CP83, P = 2.758 ± 0.001 h, A = 0.11 mag.
Lightcurves and Rotation Periods of 47 Aglaja, 504 Cora, 527 Euryanthe, 593 Titania, and 594 Mireille
Photometric observations of six asteroids were made in order to acquire lightcurves for shape/spin axis modeling. The synodic period and lightcurve amplitude were found for 374 Burgundia, 472 Roma, 593 Titania, 1106 Cydonia, 1152 Pawona, and 3332 Raksha. We also found color index (V-R) for 472 Roma and 1152 Pawona along with H-G parameters for: 472 Roma and 3332 Raksha.
Photometric Obersvations of (68347) 2001 KB67, (494999) 2010 JU39, and (455432) 2003 RP8
CCD Photometric observations were obtained of (68347) 2001 KB67, (494999) 2010 JU39, and (455432) 2003 RP8 between June 2018 and August 2019. The rotation rates determined for (68347) 2001 KB67 and (455432) 2003 RP8 were similar to those found in previous research, but the period for (494999) 2010 JU39 differs from previously published results.
Lightcurve Analysis of Asteroids 1939 Loretta, 2099 Opik, 2699 Kalinin, 2779 Mary, 3108 Lyubov, 5182 Bray, and 9098 Toshihiko
By applying dozens of comparison stars from the ATLAS refcat2 catalog to each working image, we have obtained lightcurves and synodic rotation periods for fourteen asteroids.
357 Ninina and 748 Simeisa – Two Asteroids with Earth Commensurate Rotation Periods
A global collaboration of observers from Australia, Europe, and North America found synodic rotation periods and amplitudes for 357 Ninina 35.983 ± 0.001 h, 0.11 ± 0.01 magnitudes; 748 Simeisa 11.903 ± 0.001 h, 0.08 ± 0.01 magnitudes.
Lightcurves for ten main-belt asteroids were obtained at the Barnes Ridge Observatory from 2019 July 24 through 2020 November 05. Synodic rotation periods and amplitudes are found for nine of the ten main-belt asteroids. Their synodic rotation periods and lightcurve amplitudes are: 2158 Tietjen, 8.65742 h, 0.41 mag; 3313 Mende, 13.3354 h, 0.26 mag; 3989 Odin, 5.3220 h, 0.16 mag; 4021 Dancey, 4.1085 h, 0.15 mag; 4103 Chahine, 104.9519 h, 0.80 mag; 5996 Julioangel, 9.7435 h, 0.26 mag; 7527 Marples, 9.0899 h, 0.49 mag; 9545 Petrovedmosti, 5.6649 h, 0.28 mag; 21242 1995 WZ41, 5.45303 h, 0.43 mag.
Phased lightcurves and synodic rotation periods for 20 main-belt asteroids are presented, based on CCD observations made from 2020 December through 2021 February. All the data have been submitted to the ALCDEF database.
Main-belt Asteroids Observed from CS3: 2021 January to March
CCD photometric observations of 24 main-belt asteroids were obtained at the Center for Solar System Studies (CS3) from 2021 January to March. In addition, 15 datasets dating back to 2013, thought to have been lost to a crashed hard drive, were recovered when a USB drive containing the reduced measurements was found. Finally, 8 pole/shape models are presented.
Lightcurve and Spin Rates of Earth Co-orbital Asteroids
We present photometric optical lightcurves and derived rotation periods for a sample of seven Earth co-orbital asteroids: 2008 WM64 (2.356 ± 0.033 h), 2016 AU8 (4.698 ± 0.013 h), 2000 EE104 (13.324 ± 1.135 h), 2018 EB (2.600 ± 0.437 h), 2014 KZ44 (2.797 ± 0.596 h), 2016 JP (3.288 ± 0.224 h), and 2014 KQ76 (2.953 ± 0.063 h). These observations were carried out at the Bulgarian National Astronomical Observatory - Rozhen using the FoReRo2 instrument attached on the 2mRCC telescope.
Observations made from February through March 2021 led to the discovery that 1803 Zwicky is an asynchronous binary system. The primary body has a rotation period of 2.7329 ± 0.0002 h, and the orbital period is 28.46 ± 0.02 h. The small lightcurve amplitude suggests a spherical shape. From the mutual event depths we infer a minimum secondary-to-primary mean diameter ratio of 0.26 ± 0.02.
On Confirmed and Suspected Binary Asteroids Observed at the Center for Solar System Studies
Using data from observations made at the Center for Solar System Studies from 2021 January through March along with recovered legacy data, we report on the analysis of confirmed and suspected binary asteroids 2419 Moldavia, 2873 Binzel, 3561 Devine, 4383 Suruga, 4666 Dietz, 16525 Shumarinaiko, (88188) 2000 XH44, (416694) 2004 YR32, and 1999 RM45.
Lightcurve and Rotation Period Determinations for 25 Asteroids
Lightcurves and synodic rotation periods for 25 asteroids determined from CCD photometric data acquired at Sopot Astronomical Observatory (SAO) over the time span 2020 July - 2021 April are summarized in this paper.
Lightcurves and amplitudes for nine near-Earth asteroids observed from Great Shefford Observatory during close approaches in 2021 are reported: 2020 TB12, 2020 YE5, 2021 AU, 2021 CO, 2021 DP, 2021 DX1, 2021 EB1, 2021 EX1 and 2021 FH. All have rotation periods faster than the 2.2h spin barrier and five appear to show signs of tumbling.
Near-Earth Asteroid Lightcurve Analysis at the Center for Solar System Studies: 2021 January - March
Lightcurves of 20 Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) obtained at the Center for Solar System Studies (CS3) from 2021 January through March were analyzed for rotation period, peak-to-peak amplitude.
Lightcurve Analysis of Hilda Asteroids at the Center for Solar System Studies: 2021 January-March
New CCD photometric observations of ten Hilda asteroid members were made from 2021 January through March: 153 Hilda, 190 Ismene, 1202 Marina, 2067 Aksnes, 3990 Heimdal, 6237 Chikushi, (7458) 1984 DE1, 8743 Keneke, and (23186) 2000 PO8. Two of the objects, 3990 Heimdal and 8743 Keneke, are suspected to be in a tumbling state.
General Report of Position Observations by the ALPO Minor Planets Section for the Year 2020
Since 2005, the asteroid lightcurve database (LCDB; Warner et al., 2009) used osculating orbital elements to assign family/group membership. Including special subgroups, e.g., inner main-belt (MB-I) versus inner main-belt comets (MB-IC), there were fewer than 33 families/groups. The LCDB release expected in 2021 April or May, will incorporate families defined by Nesvorny et al. (2015; Nesvorny, 2015) and additional families defined on the AstDys web site. The change will include revised default albedo and phase slope parameter (G on H-G system) values for each family. In addition, the LCDB will include provisions for data on the H-G12 or H-G1G2 system (Muinonen et al., 2010), which has been formally adopted by the International Astronomical Union. The details of these changes are explained here.
Spin-Shape Model for 374 Burgundia
Pages 316-318 Franco, Lorenzo; Marchini, Alessandro; Papini, Riccardo; Baj, Giorgio; Scarfi, Giulio; Mortari, Fabio; Aceti, Pietro; Schmidt, Richard E.; Koff, Robert A. 2021MPBu...48..316FDownload PDF
We present a shape and spin axis model for main-belt asteroid 374 Burgundia. The model was achieved with the lightcurve inversion process, using combined dense photometric data acquired from four apparitions beetween 2000-2021 and sparse data from USNO Flagstaff. Analysis of the resulting data found a sidereal period P = 6.96397 ± 0.00002 hours and two mirrored pole solutions at (λ = 9°, β = 38°) and (λ = 178°, β = 28°) with an uncertainty of ± 10 degrees.
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.
