The diameter of Pallas from its occultation of SAO 85009.
Abstract
The May 29, 1978, occultation of SAO 85009 by Pallas was observed photoelectrically at seven widely spaced sites. The observations are well represented by an elliptical apparent limb profile having semimajor and semiminor axes of 279.5 + or - 2.9 and 262.7 + or - 4.5 km, respectively. Combining these results with published information on the light curve and rotational pole position, Pallas's mean diameter is found to be 538 + or - 12 km, which yields a mean density for Pallas of 2.8 + or - 0.5 g/cu cm and a visual geometric albedo of 0.103 + or - 0.005. The diameter of Pallas as determined from this occultation is significantly smaller than the values derived by radiometric, polarimetric, and double-image techniques.
- Publication:
-
The Astronomical Journal
- Pub Date:
- February 1979
- DOI:
- 10.1086/112416
- Bibcode:
- 1979AJ.....84..259W
- Keywords:
-
- Asteroids;
- Diameters;
- Dimensional Measurement;
- Stellar Occultation;
- Albedo;
- Astronomical Observatories;
- Density (Mass/Volume);
- Electrophotometry;
- Light Curve;
- Visual Observation;
- DENSITY;
- DIAMETER;
- OCCULTATIONS;
- STARS;
- PALLA;
- OBSERVATIONS;
- LIGHT CURVE;
- ROTATION;
- ALBEDO;
- ASTEROIDS;
- Lunar and Planetary Exploration; Asteroids;
- Diameters:Minor Planets;
- Minor Planets:Stellar Occultations