• DOI:10.1086/499575
Corpus ID: 11484750

Photometric Observations Constraining the Size, Shape, and Albedo of 2003 EL61, a Rapidly Rotating, Pluto-sized Object in the Kuiper Belt

@article{Rabinowitz2006PhotometricOC,
  title={Photometric Observations Constraining the Size, Shape, and Albedo of 2003 EL61, a Rapidly Rotating, Pluto-sized Object in the Kuiper Belt},
  author={D. Rabinowitz and K. Barkume and M. Brown and H. Roe and M. Schwartz and S. Tourtellotte and C. Trujillo},
  journal={The Astrophysical Journal},
  year={2006},
  volume={639},
  pages={1238-1251}
}

D. Rabinowitz, K. Barkume, +4 authors C. Trujillo

Published 2006

Physics

The Astrophysical Journal

We present measurements at optical wavelengths of the spectral reflectance, rotational light curve, and solar phase curve of 2003 EL61. With apparent visual magnitude 17.5 at 51 AU from the Sun, this newly discovered member of the classical Kuiper Belt is now the third brightest KBO after Pluto and 2005 FY9. Our observations reveal an unambiguous, double-peaked rotational light curve with period 3.9154 ± 0.0002 hr and peak-to-peak amplitude 0.28 ± 0.04 mag. This is the fastest rotation period… CONTINUE READING

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