Coordinated observations of asteroids 1219 Britta and 1972 Yi Xing

Richard P. Binzel, Anita L. Cochran, Edwin S. Barker, David J. Tholen, Antonella Barucci, Mario Di Martino, Richard Greenberg, Stuart J. Weidenschilling, Clark R. Chapman, Donald R. Davis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Identified as possible flyby targets for the Galileo spacecraft, Asteroids 1219 Britta and 1972 Yi Xing became the focus of a coordinated observing program. Although a subsequent change in the launch date removed these asteroids from consideration for the Galileo mission, the ground-based observing program yielded a substantial amount of information on these previously unobserved asteroids. Britta's sideral rotation period is found to be 5.57497 ± 0.00013 hr and its rotation is retrograde. The lightcurve amplitude ranged from 0.60 to 0.70 mag, depending on phase angle. Britta can be classified as an S-type asteroids based on its measured spectra and albedo. The absolute magnitude and slope parameter derived from the lightcurve maxima are H0 = 11.67 ± 0.03 and G0 = 0.03 ± 0.04. A 0.002 mag deg-1 phase reddening in B·V was also measured. 1972 Yi Xing was less well observed but a unique synodic period of 14.183 ± 0.003 hr was determined. The observed lightcurve amplitude was 0.18 mag. Five-color measurements are consistent with an S-type classification. For an assumed slope parameter G = 0.25, Yi Xing's (lightcurve maximum) absolute magnitude H0 = 13.32 ± 0.01.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)148-158
Number of pages11
JournalIcarus
Volume71
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1987

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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