Speckle interferometric observations of Pluto and Charon

E. K. Hege; E. N. Hubbard; J. D. Drummond; P. A. Strittmatter; S. P. Worden; T. Lauer

doi:10.1016/0019-1035(82)90099-9

Speckle interferometric observations of Pluto and Charon

E. K. Hege, E. N. Hubbard, J. D. Drummond, P. A. Strittmatter, S. P. Worden, T. Lauer

Astronomy

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Abstract

We report speckle interferometric observations of Pluto and its moon (1978 P1) Charon obtained on 5 June 1980 with a single 1.8-m mirror of the Multiple Mirror Telescope. Our observations yield a separation of 0″.31 (±0″.05) between Pluto and Charon at position angle 285° (±7°) for JD 2444395.75. This result and other direct observations indicate an adjustment of +4.0 hr to the orbital epoch of R. S. Harrington and J. W. Christy [Astron.J.86, 442-443 (1981)]. Our observation, which represents the first resolution of the system near minimum separation, also suggests that the inclination of the orbit to the plane of the sky should be increased by 3°; this will delay the onset of the predicted eclipsee season by one apparition to 1984 or 1985. Our data are consistent with Pluto diameter 0″.14 (±0″.02) = 3000 (±400) km and Charon diameter 0″..05 (±0″.03) = 1100 (±600) km.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	72-81
Number of pages	10
Journal	Icarus
Volume	50
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0019-1035(82)90099-9
State	Published - Apr 1982

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Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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@article{80d4e6ca9ace4c9f99f65391604b4439,

title = "Speckle interferometric observations of Pluto and Charon",

abstract = "We report speckle interferometric observations of Pluto and its moon (1978 P1) Charon obtained on 5 June 1980 with a single 1.8-m mirror of the Multiple Mirror Telescope. Our observations yield a separation of 0″.31 (±0″.05) between Pluto and Charon at position angle 285° (±7°) for JD 2444395.75. This result and other direct observations indicate an adjustment of +4.0 hr to the orbital epoch of R. S. Harrington and J. W. Christy [Astron.J.86, 442-443 (1981)]. Our observation, which represents the first resolution of the system near minimum separation, also suggests that the inclination of the orbit to the plane of the sky should be increased by 3°; this will delay the onset of the predicted eclipsee season by one apparition to 1984 or 1985. Our data are consistent with Pluto diameter 0″.14 (±0″.02) = 3000 (±400) km and Charon diameter 0″..05 (±0″.03) = 1100 (±600) km.",

author = "Hege, {E. K.} and Hubbard, {E. N.} and Drummond, {J. D.} and Strittmatter, {P. A.} and Worden, {S. P.} and T. Lauer",

note = "Funding Information: This work has been supported by the USAF through contract F19628-78-C-0058. We are indebted to M. Gresham and J. Cocke for programming assistance, to J. Freeman for assistance with data reductions, to D. Rautenkranz for microprocessor data system development, and to E. Tedesco for discussions of light-curve interpretations.",

year = "1982",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/0019-1035(82)90099-9",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "50",

pages = "72--81",

journal = "Icarus",

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T1 - Speckle interferometric observations of Pluto and Charon

AU - Hege, E. K.

AU - Hubbard, E. N.

AU - Drummond, J. D.

AU - Strittmatter, P. A.

AU - Worden, S. P.

AU - Lauer, T.

N1 - Funding Information: This work has been supported by the USAF through contract F19628-78-C-0058. We are indebted to M. Gresham and J. Cocke for programming assistance, to J. Freeman for assistance with data reductions, to D. Rautenkranz for microprocessor data system development, and to E. Tedesco for discussions of light-curve interpretations.

PY - 1982/4

Y1 - 1982/4

N2 - We report speckle interferometric observations of Pluto and its moon (1978 P1) Charon obtained on 5 June 1980 with a single 1.8-m mirror of the Multiple Mirror Telescope. Our observations yield a separation of 0″.31 (±0″.05) between Pluto and Charon at position angle 285° (±7°) for JD 2444395.75. This result and other direct observations indicate an adjustment of +4.0 hr to the orbital epoch of R. S. Harrington and J. W. Christy [Astron.J.86, 442-443 (1981)]. Our observation, which represents the first resolution of the system near minimum separation, also suggests that the inclination of the orbit to the plane of the sky should be increased by 3°; this will delay the onset of the predicted eclipsee season by one apparition to 1984 or 1985. Our data are consistent with Pluto diameter 0″.14 (±0″.02) = 3000 (±400) km and Charon diameter 0″..05 (±0″.03) = 1100 (±600) km.

AB - We report speckle interferometric observations of Pluto and its moon (1978 P1) Charon obtained on 5 June 1980 with a single 1.8-m mirror of the Multiple Mirror Telescope. Our observations yield a separation of 0″.31 (±0″.05) between Pluto and Charon at position angle 285° (±7°) for JD 2444395.75. This result and other direct observations indicate an adjustment of +4.0 hr to the orbital epoch of R. S. Harrington and J. W. Christy [Astron.J.86, 442-443 (1981)]. Our observation, which represents the first resolution of the system near minimum separation, also suggests that the inclination of the orbit to the plane of the sky should be increased by 3°; this will delay the onset of the predicted eclipsee season by one apparition to 1984 or 1985. Our data are consistent with Pluto diameter 0″.14 (±0″.02) = 3000 (±400) km and Charon diameter 0″..05 (±0″.03) = 1100 (±600) km.

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Speckle interferometric observations of Pluto and Charon

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