[Previous] | [Session 1] | [Next]
M.D. Hicks, M.S. Hanner, D.L. Rabinowitz, B.J. Buratti (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), T.L. Hayward (Cornell University), U. Fink (LPL, University of Arizona), W. Grundy (Lowell Observatory)
The spectrum of 6489 Golevka was originally interpreted as a V-type [Hicks & Grundy 1995, IAUC 6117], comparable to the class of what is thought to be achondritic asteroids associated with 4 Vesta and spanning the gulf to the 3:1 resonance [Binzel & Xu 1993 Science 260, 186]. Though it is becoming quite obvious that a significant fraction of small Earth-approaching asteroids exhibit colors and spectra across visible wavelengths consistent with HED and ordinary chondritic meteorites, more work is needed at longer wavelengths to help resolve ambiguities in the interpretation of their spectra.
6489 Golevka was observed with NSFCAM on the NASA IRTF telescope on the nights of June 15 and 16 1999, obtaining several spectra with both the IHJ "Asteroid" and K-grisms. Near simultaneous BVRI filter photometry was also taken at the Table Mountain 24-inch telescope.
Preliminary reduction of the NSFCAM spectra reveals an object with deep 1 and 2 micron absorptions, consistent with a pyroxene rich surface suggested by the 0.5-1 micron spectroscopy obtained in 1995.
We attempted to image the asteroid in the thermal infrared with SpectroCam-10 on the 5-meter Hale telescope on the night of July 4, with null results. Though disappointing, this will still place important constraints on the asteroid's geometric albedo which, at 0.6, is thought to be extremely high [Mottola et. al 1997, Astron. J. 114, 1234].
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: hicksm@galah.jpl.nasa.gov