Call for Observations
Neglected Asteroids
Astronomical Observatory Institute of Poznan, Poland is coordinating a world-wide observing campaign
of somewhat neglected asteroids. These are small bodies of the main belt with slow rotation and small lightcurve amplitudes, avoided by most of previous studies [1]. The aim is to improve biased statistics
of spin and shape modelled asteroids. Recent results from TESS spacecraft have shown that slow rotators are actually dominating in the population of main belt asteroids [4], while asteroids with available spin and shape model have predominantly short rotation periods.
We focus on multi-apparition photometric observations, lightcurve inversion modelling, and scaling those models with thermal infrared data [2, 3]. However, many of these asteroids have poor or problematic thermal datasets, and cannot be precisely scaled this way. This is where good, multi-chord occultation can greatly help. Occultations can also pinpoint the correct spin and shape solution from two mirror ones produced by lightcurve inversion (see e.g. Svea model fitting in paper [2]). For some of our targets, marked in bold in the list, Gaia mission will provide mass, so precise density could be derived for studies on internal composition.
Please join the project and observe stellar occultations by the these asteroids, whenever possible.
List of proposed asteroids
70 Panopaea 581 Tauntonia
101 Helena 657 Gunlod
215 Oenone 666 Desdemona
223 Rosa 668 Dora
269 Justitia 672 Astarte
279 Thule 688 Melanie
286 Iclea 738 Alagasta
305 Gordonia 777 Gutemberga
309 Fraternitas 806 Gyldenia
326 Tamara 814 Tauris
366 Vincentina 838 Seraphina
373 Melusina 845 Naema
395 Delia 859 Bouzareah
397 Vienna 880 Herba
412 Elisabetha 903 Nealley
429 Lotis 907 Rhoda
439 Ohio 921 Jovita
464 Megaira 931 Whittemora
524 Fidelio 938 Chlosinde
527 Euryanthe 992 Swasey
541 Deborah 999 Zachia
551 Ortrud 1062 Ljuba
566 Stereoskopia
In case of any questions, please contact Dr. Anna Marciniak at:
am@amu.edu.pl
References:
[1] Marciniak et al. 2015, "Against the bias in spins and shapes of asteroids", Planet Space Sci. 118, 256; arXiv:1711.02429
[2] Marciniak et al. 2018, ''Photometric survey, modelling, and scaling of long-period and low-amplitude asteroids'', Astronomy Astrophys., 610, A7; arXiv:1711.01893
[3] Marciniak et al. 2019, ''Thermal properties of slowly rotating asteroids. Results from targeted survey'' Astronomy Astrophys., 625, A139, arXiv:1905.06056
[4] Pál et al. 2020 ''Solar System objects observed with TESS -- First data release: bright main-belt and Trojan asteroids from the Southern Survey'' ApJS 247, 26; arXiv:2001.05922
