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M. Kadooka, K. J. Meech, J. Pittichova (IfA, UH)
The recent discoveries of small bodies in the outer solar system in the vicinity of the Kuiper Belt are revolutionizing our concepts about the formation of our solar system and providing critical dynamical and compositional clues to the earliest epochs. However, with the rapidly accelerating rate of discovery, we are unable to keep up with tracking the orbits of these important denizens to recover the dynamical information. We have begun an innovative test program to assess the potential of a small (2-m class) educational telescope to engage in an efficient Kuiper Belt recovery program. The Faulkes Telescope on Haleakala, Maui, is nearing completion and should be operational for outreach during the fall 2003. We will report on recovery observations obtained over the course of 38 nights using the University of Hawaii 2.2m telescope during 13 observing runs. The UH 2.2m telescope is one of the most efficient telescopes in the world for KBO recovery.
We will report on physical observations of one of our recovered objects, 2000 OK67, to look at its rotational light curve. Time resolved photometry suggests a light curve rotation period >12 hr. The light curve range delta m>0.3mag suggest an axial ratio >1.3 if caused by shape. We will report on colors of the object and a deep search for possible dust production.
This work was supported by a grant from NASA NAG5-12236 and by a grant from the National Science Foundation, ESI-9731083.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35 #4
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.