Low phase angle effects in photometry of trans-neptunian objects: 20000 Varuna and 19308 (1996 TO66)

We present the results of photometric observations of trans-neptunian object 20000 Varuna, which were obtained during 7 nights in November 2004-February 2005. The analysis of new and available photometric observations of Varuna reveals a pronounced opposition surge at phase angles less than 0.1 deg with amplitude of 0.2 mag relatively to the extrapolation of the linear part of magnitude-phase dependence to zero phase angle. The opposition surge of Varuna is markedly different from that of dark asteroids while quite typical for moderate albedo Solar System bodies. We find an indication of variations of the scattering properties over Varuna's surface that could result in an increase of the lightcurve amplitude toward zero phase angle. It is shown that a similar phase effect can be responsible for lightcurve changes found for TNO 19308 (1996 TO₆₆) in 1997-1999.     

Albedo and color contrasts on asteroid surfaces

Asteroids in general display only small or negligible variations in spectrum or albedo during a rotational cycle. Color variations with rotation are described in the literature but are usually comparable to the noise in the measurements. Twenty-four asteroids have been systematically monitored for such color changes. Only 3 Juno, 4 Vesta, 6 Hebe, 71 Niobe, 349 Dembowska, and 944 Hidalgo display color variations larger than 0.03 mag. In each of these cases the asteroid appears redder near maximum brightness. Of seven asteroids monitored polarimetrically, only 4 Vesta shows a convincing variation, attributed to an albedo change with rotation. The lightcurve can be explained by albedo differences alone; Vesta apparently has a nearly spheroidal shape. Notwithstanding the above results, the degree of uniformity of most asteroid surfaces is remarkable. If asteroids exist with large discrete domains of ferrosilicate, metallic, and/or carbonaceous material together on their surfaces, they have not yet been identified.     

Thermophysical analysis of infrared observations of asteroids

Abstract— Visual photometry, which measures reflected solar radiation, can be combined with infrared radiometry, which measures absorbed and re‐radiated solar energy, to determine key properties of small solar system objects. This method can be applied via thermophysical model concepts not only for albedo and diameter determination, but also for studies of thermal parameters like thermal inertia, surface roughness or emissivity. Hence, a detailed analysis of the asteroid surface is possible and topics like surface mineralogy, the density of the regolith or the presence of a rocky surface, lightcurve influences due to shape or albedo, porosity of the surface material, etc. can be addressed. The “radiometric technique” based on a recently developed thermophysical model is presented. The model was extensively tested against observations from the infrared space observatory, including spectroscopic and photometric measurements at infrared wavelengths between 2 and 200 μm of more than 40 asteroids. The possible model applications are discussed in terms of the different levels of knowledge for individual asteroids. The effects of the thermal parameters are illustrated and methods are presented as to how to separate different aspects. Possibilities and limitations are evaluated for the possible transfer of this model to near‐Earth asteroids. In the long run, this kind of study of near‐Earth asteroids may provide answers to questions about their surface properties which are crucial to develop mitigation scenarios.     

Physical characteristics of Hayabusa target Asteroid 25143 Itokawa

In March 2001, the Hayabusa spacecraft target, Asteroid 25143 Itokawa, made its final close approach to Earth prior to the spacecraft's launch. We carried out an extensive observing campaign from January to September 2001 to better characterize this near-Earth asteroid. Global physical properties of the surface of Itokawa were characterized by analyzing its photometric properties and behavior. Results included here capitalize on analysis of broadband photometric observations taken with a number of telescopes, instruments, and observers. We employed a Hapke model to estimate the surface roughness, single particle scattering albedo, single particle scattering characteristics, phase integral, and geometric and bond albedo. We find that this asteroid has a higher geometric albedo than average main belt S-class asteroids; this is consistent with results from other observers. The broadband colors of Itokawa further support evidence that this is an atypical S-class asteroid. Broadband colors show spectral characteristics more typically found on large-diameter main-belt asteroids believed to be space-weathered, suggesting the surface of this small diameter, near-Earth asteroid could likewise be space-weathered.     

Photometric analysis of 1 Ceres and surface mapping from HST observations

The highest resolution (pixel scale 30 km) images of Ceres to date have been acquired by the Advanced Camera for Surveys onboard Hubble Space Telescope, through three wide band filters, centered at 535, 335, and 223 nm, covering more than one rotation of Ceres. The lightcurve at 535 nm agrees with earlier observations at V-band [Tedesco, E.F., Taylor, R.C., Drummond, J., Harwood, D., Nickoloff, I., Scaltriti, F., Schober, H. J., Zappala, V., 1983. Icarus 54, 23-29] in terms of magnitude, amplitude, and shape. The 0.04 magnitude lightcurve amplitude cannot be matched by Ceres' rotationally symmetric shape, and is modeled here by albedo patterns. The geometric albedos at the above three wavelengths are measured to be 0.087±0.003, 0.056±0.002, and 0.039±0.003, respectively. V-band geometric albedo is calculated to be 0.090±0.003, consistent with earlier observations [Tedesco, E.F., 1989. In: Binzel, R.P., Gehrels, T., Matthews, M.S. (Eds.), Asteroids II. Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 1090-1138]. A strong absorption band (30%) centered at about 280 nm is observed, but cannot be identified with either laboratory UV spectra or the spectra of Europa or Ganymede. The single-scattering albedo has been modeled to be 0.070±0.002, 0.046±0.002, and 0.032±0.003, respectively. The photometric roughness of Ceres' surface is found to be about 44°±5° from photometric modeling using Hapke's theory, consistent with earlier radar observations [Mitchell, D.L., Ostro, S.J., Hudson, R.S., Rosema, K.D., Campbell, D.B., Velez, R., Chandler, J. F., Shapiro, I.I., Giorgini, J.D., Yeomans, D.K., 1996. Icarus 124, 113-133]. The first spatially resolved surface albedo maps of Ceres at three wavelengths have been constructed from HST observations, as well as the corresponding color maps. Eleven surface albedo features are identified, ranging in scale from 40-350 km. Overall the range of these albedo and color variations is small compared to other asteroids and some icy satellites.     

The rotational and physical properties of the Centaur (32532) 2001 PT13

We present observations of the Centaur (32532) 2001 PT₁₃ taken between September 2000 and December 2000. A multi-wavelength lightcurve was assembled from V-, R- and J-band photometry measurements. Analysis of the lightcurve indicates that there are two peaks of slightly different brightness, a rotation period of 0.34741±0.00005 day, and a maximum photometric range of 0.18 mag. We obtained VRJHK colors (V-R=0.50±0.01, V-J=1.69±0.02, V-H=2.19±0.04, and V-K=2.30±0.04) that are consistent with the grey KBO/Centaur population. The V-R color shows no variation as a function of rotational phase; however, we cannot exclude the possibility that rotational variations are present in the R-J color. Assuming a 4% albedo, we estimate that 2001 PT₁₃ has an effective diameter of 90 km and a minimum axial ratio a/b of 1.18. We find no evidence of a coma and place an upper limit of 15 g s⁻¹ on the dust production rate.     

Polarimetry and BVRI photometry of the potentially hazardous near-Earth Asteroid (23187) 2000 PN9

The results of V-band polarimetric observations of the potentially hazardous near-Earth Asteroid (23187) 2000 PN₉ at large phase angles are presented as well as its photometric observations in BVRI bands. Observations were made in March-April 2006 during its close approach to the Earth using the 1.82-m Asiago telescope (Italy) and the 0.7-m telescope at the Chuguevskaya Observational Station (Ukraine). We obtained polarimetric measurements at the phase angle of 115°, the largest phase angle ever observed in asteroid polarimetry. Our data show that the maximum value of the polarization phase curve reached 7.7% and occurred in the phase angle range of 90-115°. The measured values of linear polarization degree, BVRI colors and magnitude-phase dependence correspond to the S-type composition of this asteroid. Based on our observations the following characteristics of the Asteroid (23187) 2000 PN₉ were obtained: a rotation period of 2.5325±0.0004 h, a lightcurve amplitude of 0.13 mag, an albedo of 0.24±0.06 and a diameter of 1.6±0.3 km.     

Observation Plan for Refining Shape Model of (6) HEBE

As the number of observatories located on the surface of Earth is increasing largely in decades more and more photometric data of asteroids is observed to make the research about their various physical and chemical characteristics. Compared with hundreds of thousands of asteroids found up to now, rare hundreds of three-dimensional shape models of asteroids have been built from the tremendous photometric data with incessant observations, i.e. lightcurves. For some specific asteroid already with many observed lightcurves, the unceasing observation is not too much valuable, nevertheless an additional lightcurve observed in a request viewing aspect can refine the shape model and other related parameters. This article taking the asteroid (6) HEBE for example, attempts to introduce a method to make the observation plan by combining the request of the shape model and the orbital limitation of asteroids. Through analyzing the distribution of lightcurves of (6) HEBE, small cabins without any lightcurve data are found, which can be filled by new observations at some specified dates when the positions of Asteroid, Sun, Earth are limited as the request geometry.     

The origin of (90) Antiope from component-resolved near-infrared spectroscopy

The origin of the similarly-sized binary Asteroid (90) Antiope remains an unsolved puzzle. To constrain the origin of this unique double system, we recorded individual spectra of the components using SPIFFI, a near-infrared integral field spectrograph fed by SINFONI, an adaptive optics module available on VLT-UT4. Using our previously published orbital model, we requested telescope time when the separation of the components of (90) Antiope was larger than 0.087″, to minimize the contamination between components, during the February 2009 opposition. Several multi-spectral data-cubes in J band (SNR = 40) and H + K band (SNR = 100) were recorded in three epochs and revealed the two components of (90) Antiope. After developing a specific photometric extraction method and running an error analysis by Monte-Carlo simulations, we successfully extracted reliable spectra of both components from 1.1 to 2.4 μm taken on the night of February 21, 2009. These spectra do not display any significant absorption features due to mafic mineral, ices, or organics, and their slopes are in agreement with both components being C- or Cb-type asteroids. Their constant flux ratio indicates that both components’ surface reflectances are quite similar, with a 1-sigma variation of 7%. By comparison with 2MASS J, H, K color distribution of observed Themis family members, we conclude that both bodies were most likely formed at the same time and from the same material. The similarly-sized system could indeed be the result of the breakup of a rubble-pile proto-Antiope into two equal-sized bodies, but other scenarios of formation implying a common origin should also be considered.     

NEAR Infrared Spectrometer Photometry of Asteroid 433 Eros

We present near-infrared spectrometer (NIS) observations (0.8 to 2.4 μm) of the S-type asteroid 433 Eros obtained by the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft and report results of our Hapke photometric model analysis of data obtained at phase angles ranging from 1.2° to 111.0° and at spatial resolutions of 1.25×2.5 to 2.75×5.5 km/spectrum. Our Hapke model fits successfully to the NEAR spectroscopic data for systematic color variations that accompany changing viewing and illumination geometry. Model parameters imply a geometric albedo at 0.946 μm of 0.27±0.04, which corresponds to a geometric albedo at 0.550 μm of 0.25±0.05. We find that Eros exhibits phase reddening of up to 10% across the phase angle range of 0-100°. We observe a 10% increase in the 1-μm band depth at high phase angles. In contrast, we observe only a 5% increase in continuum slope from 1.486 to 2.363 μm and essentially no difference in the 2-μm band depth at higher phase angles. These contrasting phase effects imply that there are phase-dependent differences in the parametric measurements of 1- and 2-μm band areas, and in their ratio. The Hapke model fits suggest that Eros exhibits a weaker opposition surge than either 951 Gaspra or 243 Ida (the only other S-type asteroids for which we possess disk-resolved photometric observations). On average, we find that Eros at 0.946 μm has a higher geometric albedo and a higher single-scatter albedo than Gaspra or Ida at 0.56 μm; however, Eros's single-particle phase function asymmetry and average surface macroscopic roughness parameters are intermediate between Gaspra and Ida. Only two of the five Hapke model parameters exhibit a notable wavelength dependence: (1) The single-scatter albedo mimics the spectrum of Eros, and (2) there is a decrease in angular width of the opposition surge with increasing wavelength from 0.8 to 1.7 μm. Such opposition surge behavior is not adequately modeled with our shadow-hiding Hapke model, consistent with coherent backscattering phenomena near zero phase.     

Photometric investigation of the short period eclipsing binary star V719 Her

The Behlen observatory 0.76 m telescope CCD photometer is used to obtain 347 observations of the short period (P0^d.4) eclipsing binary star V719 Her. The observations done withV andR bandpass filters were made on 6 nights in 1993. Previously published light elements and the present five timings of minimum provide a new epoch and a more accurate orbital period of 0.4009828 days. Our analyses show that the period of the system appears to decrease. We recommend future monitoring of the eclipse minima for this system. No published spectral classification for V719 Her exists. From the color,V-R=0.391, we estimate it to be about F5.The 1993 version of the Wilson Devinney model gave the photometric solutions. The adopted solution indicates that V719 Her is a W UMa type contact binary. The mass ratio,q=(m ₂/m ₁, where star 1 eclipse at the primary minimum)=0.296 suggests that V719 Her is a WUMa system with type-A (transit during primary eclipse) configuration. The secondary minimum shows a total eclipse. V719 Her with period less than 0.5 and spectral class F5, is probably a zero-age contact system. Since our photometric solution shows that the luminosity difference between the components is very large, we suspect that V719 Her is most likely a single line spectroscopic binary. We recommend spectroscopic study of this system.     

Mid-infrared lightcurve of Vesta

We present a thermal mid-infrared lightcurve of Asteroid 4 Vesta and use this to infer variations in thermophysical properties over the surface. Vesta was observed over three nights during the May 2007 opposition with the Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea. Mid-infrared observations are compared to a model based on the Standard Thermal Model which is draped over a Vesta shape model derived from Hubble Space Telescope observations.A visible lightcurve with similar aspect was used to estimate the albedo as Vesta rotates. Shape and albedo can explain some of the features observed in the mid-infrared lightcurve. However, variations in the thermophysical properties, such as the “beaming parameter,” over Vesta’s surface are required to completely explain the observations.In order to match the mid-infrared magnitudes observed of Vesta, a beaming parameter of ∼0.862 is required which is higher than other Main Belt Asteroids such as Ceres and Pallas (0.756), indicating a smoother and/or rockier surface on Vesta. Variations in the beaming parameter with longitude are invoked to reproduce the observed thermal variations. Surface materials with relatively high beaming values, indicating a smoother and/or rockier surface, in the eastern hemisphere of Vesta coincide with locations where impact excavations may have produced surfaces that are younger and brighter relative to the western hemisphere.     

Shape, size and multiplicity of main-belt asteroids: I. Keck Adaptive Optics survey

This paper presents results from a high spatial resolution survey of 33 main-belt asteroids with diameters >40 km using the Keck II Adaptive Optics (AO) facility. Five of these (45 Eugenia, 87 Sylvia, 107 Camilla, 121 Hermione, 130 Elektra) were confirmed to have satellite. Assuming the same albedo as the primary, these moonlets are relatively small (∼5% of the primary size) suggesting that they are fragments captured after a disruptive collision of a parent body or captured ejecta due to an impact. For each asteroid, we have estimated the minimum size of a moonlet that can positively detected within the Hill sphere of the system by estimating and modeling a 2-σ detection profile: in average on the data set, a moonlet located at 2/100×RHill (1/4×RHill) with a diameter larger than 6 km (4 km) would have been unambiguously seen. The apparent size and shape of each asteroid was estimated after deconvolution using a new algorithm called AIDA. The mean diameter for the majority of asteroids is in good agreement with IRAS radiometric measurements, though for asteroids with a D<200 km, it is underestimated on average by 6-8%. Most asteroids had a size ratio that was very close to those determined by lightcurve measurements. One observation of 104 Klymene suggests it has a bifurcated shape. The bi-lobed shape of 121 Hermione described in Marchis et al. [Marchis, F., Hestroffer, D., Descamps, P., Berthier, J., Laver, C., de Pater, I., 2005c. Icarus 178, 450-464] was confirmed after deconvolution. The ratio of contact binaries in our survey, which is limited to asteroids larger than 40 km, is surprisingly high (∼6%), suggesting that a non-single configuration is common in the main-belt. Several asteroids have been analyzed with lightcurve inversions. We compared lightcurve inversion models for plane-of-sky predictions with the observed images (9 Metis, 52 Europa, 87 Sylvia, 130 Elektra, 192 Nausikaa, and 423 Diotima, 511 Davida). The AO images allowed us to determine a unique photometric mirror pole solution, which is normally ambiguous for asteroids moving close to the plane of the ecliptic (e.g., 192 Nausikaa and 52 Europa). The photometric inversion models agree well with the AO images, thus confirming the validity of both the lightcurve inversion method and the AO image reduction technique.     

Polarimetric evidence of close similarity between members of the Karin and Koronis dynamical families

We present the results of a campaign of polarimetric observations of small asteroids belonging to the Karin and Koronis families, carried out at the ESO Cerro Paranal Observatory using the VLT-Kueyen 8-m telescope. The Karin family is known to be very young, having likely been produced by the disruption of an original member of the Koronis family less than 6 Myr ago. The purpose of our study was to derive polarimetric properties for a reasonable sample of objects belonging to the two families, in order to look for possible systematic differences between them, to be interpreted in terms of differences in surface properties, in particular albedo. In turn, systematic albedo differences might be caused by different times of exposure to space weathering processes experienced by the two groups of objects. The results of our analysis indicate that no appreciable difference exists between the polarimetric properties of Karin and Koronis members. We thus find that space-weathering mechanisms may be very efficient in affecting surface properties of S-class asteroids on very short timescales. This result complements some independent evidence found by recent spectroscopic studies of very young families.     

Whole-disk spectrophotometric properties of Mercury: Synthesis of MESSENGER and ground-based observations

Disk-integrated and disk-resolved measurements of Mercury’s surface obtained by both the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) and the Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) onboard the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft were analyzed and compared with previous ground-based observations of Mercury at 11 wavelengths. The spectra show no definitive absorption features and display a red spectral slope (increasing reflectance with increasing wavelength) typical of space-weathered rocky surfaces. The MDIS spectra show evidence of phase reddening, which is not observed in the MASCS spectra. The MDIS spectra are commensurate with ground-based observations to within 10%, whereas the MASCS spectra display greater discrepancies with ground-based observations at near-infrared wavelengths. The derived photometric calibrations provide corrections within 10% for observations taken at phase angles less than ∼100°. The derived photometric properties are indicative of a more compact regolith than that of the lunar surface or of average S-type asteroids. The photometric roughness of the surface is also much smoother than the Moon’s. The calculated geometric albedo (reflectance at zero phase) is higher than lunar values. The lower reflectance of immature units on Mercury compared with immature units on the Moon, in conjunction with the higher geometric albedo, is indicative of more complicated grain structures within Mercury’s regolith.     

Observations of Near-Earth Asteroids in Polarized Light

We report the results of position, photometric, and polarimetric observations of two near-Earth asteroids made with the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 1.2-hour measurements of the photometric variations of the asteroid 2009 DL46 made onMarch 8, 2016 (approximately 20^m at a distance of about 0.23 AU from the Earth) showed a 0.^m2-amplitude flash with a duration of about 20 minutes. During this time the polarization degree increased from the average level of 2–3% to 14%. The angle of the polarization plane and the phase angle were equal to 113° ± 1° and 43°, respectively. Our result indicates that the surface of the rotating asteroid (the rotation period of about 2.5 hours) must be non-uniformly rough. Observations of another asteroid—1994 UG—whose brightness was of about 17^m and which was located at a geocentric distance of 0.077 AU, were carried out during the night of March 6/7, 2016 in two modes: photometric and spectropolarimetric. According to the results of photometric observations in Johnson’s B-, V-, and R-band filters, over one hour the brightness of the asteroid remained unchanged within the measurement errors (about 0.^m02). Spectropolarimetric observations in the 420–800 nm wavelength interval showed the polarization degree to decrease from 8% in the blue part of the spectrum to 2% in the red part with the phase angle equal to 44?, which is typical for S-type near-Earth asteroids.     

Global photometric properties of Asteroid (4) Vesta observed with Dawn Framing Camera

Dawn spacecraft orbited Vesta for more than one year and collected a huge volume of multispectral, high-resolution data in the visible wavelengths with the Framing Camera. We present a detailed disk-integrated and disk-resolved photometric analysis using the Framing Camera images with the Minnaert model and the Hapke model, and report our results about the global photometric properties of Vesta. The photometric properties of Vesta show weak or no dependence on wavelengths, except for the albedo. At 554 nm, the global average geometric albedo of Vesta is 0.38 ± 0.04, and the Bond albedo range is 0.20 ± 0.02. The bolometric Bond albedo is 0.18 ± 0.01. The phase function of Vesta is similar to those of S-type asteroids. Vesta’s surface shows a single-peaked albedo distribution with a full-width-half-max ∼17% relative to the global average. This width is much smaller than the full range of albedos (from ∼0.55× to >2× global average) in localized bright and dark areas of a few tens of km in sizes, and is probably a consequence of significant regolith mixing on the global scale. Rheasilvia basin is ∼10% brighter than the global average. The phase reddening of Vesta measured from Dawn Framing Camera images is comparable or slightly stronger than that of Eros as measured by the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous mission, but weaker than previous measurements based on ground-based observations of Vesta and laboratory measurements of HED meteorites. The photometric behaviors of Vesta are best described by the Hapke model and the Akimov disk-function, when compared with the Minnaert model, Lommel–Seeliger model, and Lommel–Seeliger–Lambertian model. The traditional approach for photometric correction is validated for Vesta for >99% of its surface where reflectance is within ±30% of global average.     

Photometry of pluto in the last decade and before: evidence for volatile transport?

Photometric observations of Pluto in the BVR filter system were obtained in 1999 and in 1990-1993, and observations in the 0.89-μm methane absorption band were obtained in 2000. Our 1999 observations yield lightcurve amplitudes of 0.30 ± 0.01, 0.26 ± 0.01, and 0.21 ± 0.02 and geometric albedos of 0.44 ± 0.04, 0.52 ± 0.03, and 0.58 ± 0.02 in the B, V, and R filters, respectively. The low-albedo hemisphere of Pluto is slightly redder than the higher albedo hemisphere. A comparison of our results and those from previous epochs shows that the lightcurve of Pluto changes substantially through time. We developed a model that fully accounts for changes in the lightcurve caused by changes in the viewing geometry between the Earth, Pluto, and the Sun. We find that the observed changes in the amplitude of Pluto’s lightcurve can be explained by viewing geometry rather than by volatile transport. We also discovered a measurable decrease since 1992 of ∼0.03 magnitudes in the amplitude of Pluto’s lightcurve, as the model predicts. Pluto’s geometric albedo does not appear to be currently increasing, as our model predicts, although given the uncertainties in both the model and the measurements of geometric albedo, this result is not firm evidence for volatile transport. The maximum of methane-absorption lightcurve occurs near the minimum of the BVR lightcurves. This result suggests that methane is more abundant in the brightest regions of Pluto. Pluto’s phase coefficient exhibits a color dependence, ranging from 0.037 ± 0.01 in the B filter to 0.032 ± 0.01 in the R filter. Pluto’s phase curve is most like those of the bright, recently resurfaced satellites Triton and Europa. Although Pluto shows no strong evidence for volatile transport now (unlike Triton), it is important to continue to observe Pluto as it moves away from perihelion.     

2060 Chiron: Visual and thermal infrared observations

Five-color (λλ = 0.36?0.85 μm) and thermal infrared (λ = 22.5 μm) photometric observations of the unusual asteroid 2060 Chiron were made. Between 0.36 and 0.85 μm, Chiron's reflectance spectrum is similar to those of C-class asteroids as well as Saturn's satellite Phoebe. However, the thermal IR measurements imply an albedo≥0.05 (i.e., a diameter ≤250 kmat the level 2σ level) that is probably higher than those of C-class asteroids or Phoebe.     

Colors of dynamically associated asteroid pairs

Recent dynamical studies have identified pairs of asteroids that reside in nearly identical heliocentric orbits. Possible formation scenarios for these systems include dissociation of binary asteroids, collisional disruption of a single parent body, or spin-up and rotational fission of a rubble-pile. Aside from detailed dynamical analyses and measurement of rotational light curves, little work has been done to investigate the colors or spectra of these unusual objects. A photometric and spectroscopic survey was conducted to determine the reflectance properties of asteroid pairs. New observations were obtained for a total of 34 individual asteroids. Additional photometric measurements were retrieved from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Moving Object Catalog. Colors or spectra for a total of 42 pair components are presented here. The main findings of this work are: (1) the components in the observed pair systems have the same colors within the uncertainties of this survey, and (2) the color distribution of asteroid pairs appears indistinguishable from that of all Main Belt asteroids. These findings support a scenario of pair formation from a common progenitor and suggest that pair formation is likely a compositionally independent process. In agreement with previous studies, this is most consistent with an origin via binary disruption and/or rotational fission.