TY - JOUR
T1 - The color temperature of (2060) Chiron
T2 - A warm and small nucleus
AU - Campins, H.
AU - Telesco, C. M.
AU - Osip, D. J.
AU - Rieke, G. H.
AU - Rieke, M. J.
AU - Schulz, B.
PY - 1994/12
Y1 - 1994/12
N2 - We present three sets of thermal-infrared observations of (2060) Chiron, obtained in 1991, 1993, and 1994. These observations allow the first estimates of the color temperature of Chiron as well as refined estimates of the radius and albedo of its nucleus. 10/20 μm color temperatures of 126-6+11 and 137-9+14 K are obtained from the 1993 and 1994 observations, respectively. These temperatures are consistent with the Standard Thermal Model [STM; Lebofsky & Spencer, 1989, Asteroids II, p. 128 (University of Arizona, Tucson)] but significantly higher than those predicted by the Isothermal Latitude Model. Our estimates of Chiron's radius based on the STM are in agreement with each other, with the observations of Lebofsky et al. [Icarus, 60, 532 (1984)], and with recent occultation results [Buie et al, IAU Cire. 5898 (1993)]. We obtained values for the radius of 74±11 km in 1991, 88±10 and 104±10 km in 1993, and, 94±6 and 91±13 km in 1994.
AB - We present three sets of thermal-infrared observations of (2060) Chiron, obtained in 1991, 1993, and 1994. These observations allow the first estimates of the color temperature of Chiron as well as refined estimates of the radius and albedo of its nucleus. 10/20 μm color temperatures of 126-6+11 and 137-9+14 K are obtained from the 1993 and 1994 observations, respectively. These temperatures are consistent with the Standard Thermal Model [STM; Lebofsky & Spencer, 1989, Asteroids II, p. 128 (University of Arizona, Tucson)] but significantly higher than those predicted by the Isothermal Latitude Model. Our estimates of Chiron's radius based on the STM are in agreement with each other, with the observations of Lebofsky et al. [Icarus, 60, 532 (1984)], and with recent occultation results [Buie et al, IAU Cire. 5898 (1993)]. We obtained values for the radius of 74±11 km in 1991, 88±10 and 104±10 km in 1993, and, 94±6 and 91±13 km in 1994.
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U2 - 10.1086/117244
DO - 10.1086/117244
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0000941513
SN - 0004-6256
VL - 108
SP - 2318
EP - 2322
JO - Astronomical Journal
JF - Astronomical Journal
IS - 6
ER -