DPS 34th Meeting, October 2002
Session 17. Centaurs and Kuiper Belt
Poster, Chair(s): , Tuesday, October 8, 2002, 3:30-6:00pm, Exhibit Hall

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[17.01] Observations of Varuna at millimeter and optical wavelength

R. Moreno (IRAM), E. Lellouch (LESIA), J.L. Ortiz (IAA), G. Paubert (IRAM), A. Doressoundiram, N. Peixinho (LESIA)

We report observations of trans-Neptunian object (20000) Varuna at millimeter(mm) and optical wavelengths, obtained in January-February 2002 from the IRAM 30m and IAA 1.5m telescopes. The bolometric measurement from IRAM indicates a flux at 1.2 mm of 1.12±0.41 mJy, averaged over the object's rotation. The optical measurements show a lightcurve with a period of 3.176±0.010 hr, a mean V magnitude of 20.37±0.08 and a 0.42±0.01 magnitude amplitude. These data tentatively indicate that the lightcure is asymmetric and double-peaked. The joint analysis of these two datasets, has permitted to infer a mean 1060+180-220 km diameter, and a mean 0.038+0.022-0.010 V geometric albedo, fully consistent with the canonical 4% value assumed in size distribution studies.


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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 34, #3< br> © 2002. The American Astronomical Soceity.