Deep Imaging of the Kuiper Belt with the Keck 10 Meter Telescope
Abstract
We present a new, pencil-beam survey of the Kuiper Belt taken with the Keck 10 m telescope. The cumulative surface density of Kuiper Belt Objects measured to apparent red magnitude mR=26.1 is 31+12-14 deg-2, while to mR=26.6 it is 40+/-33 deg-2. These numbers are compatible with an extrapolation of the luminosity function deduced earlier from measurements in the 20<=mR<=25 range, and they confirm a Kuiper Belt differential size distribution index q~4.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- July 1998
- DOI:
- 10.1086/311490
- Bibcode:
- 1998ApJ...502L..91L
- Keywords:
-
- COMETS: GENERAL;
- SOLAR SYSTEM: FORMATION;
- Comets: General;
- Solar System: Formation