DPS 2001 meeting, November 2001
Session 12. Kuiper Belt and KBOs Posters
Displayed, 9:00am Tuesday - 3:00pm Saturday, Highlighted, Tuesday, November 27, 2001, 5:00-7:00pm, French Market Exhibit Hall

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[12.11] A study of short term variability in 2001KX76, 1999TC36 and 2000QC243

J.L. Ortiz, J.J. Lopez-Moreno, P.J. Gutierrez (Inst. Astrofisica Andalucia), S. Baumont (Inst. d'Optique Theorique et Appliquee)

Broadband photometry of the transneptunian objects 2001KX76, 1999TC36 and centaur 2000QC243 was carried out at the 1.5m telescope of Sierra Nevada Observatory (Spain), during a week-long observing run in August aimed at determining rotation periods of these objects. 2000QC243 showed clear periodic short term variability of 4.57h, with an amplitude that is significantly higher than the average uncertainty of our measurements. This periodic signal probably implies a rotation rate of 9.14h. 1999TC36 showed small amplitude periodic short term variability, but only at a 70% confidence level, which is not high enough for firm detection. 2001KX76, did not show clear variability within the precision of our measurements (0.15 mag), although a possible periodic signal exists at a low 60% confidence level. Lightcurves and periodograms as well as their interpretation in terms of rotation rates will be presented.


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