Opposition Effect of Kuiper Belt Objects: preliminary estimations |
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Authors: | Belskaya Irina N. Barucci Antonella M. Shkuratov Yurij G. |
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Affiliation: | 1. Institute of Astronomy of Kharkiv National University, 35 Sumska str., 61022, Kharkiv, Ukraine 2. Observatoire de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, 92195, Meudon, France
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Abstract: | Information on the surface structure of the Kuiper Belt objectscan be obtained from studies of their opposition brightening.Although KBOs are observed at a very limited phase angle rangethey represent a unique opportunity to study the backscatteringphenomenon down almost to zero phase angle. Preliminaryestimations of the opposition effect amplitude and width based oncomposite phase curves of four KBOs and two Centaurs showed theexistence of a very narrow opposition surge of about 0.1–0.2 mag at phase angles less than 0.1–0.2 deg. It may indicate a highporosity of the KBOs regoliths. Further observations are needed toconfirm this phenomenon. |
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