A Two-Color Map of Pluto's Sub-Charon Hemisphere
Abstract
Pluto and its satellite Charon regularly occulted or transited each other's disks from 1985 through 1990. The light curves resulting from these events (collectively called ``mutual events'') have been used to determine albedo maps of Pluto's sub-Charon hemisphere. We now use a data set of four light curves that were obtained in both B and V Johnson filters to construct a two-color map of Pluto's surface. We are able to resolve the central part of Pluto's sub-Charon hemisphere. We find that the dark albedo feature that forms a band below Pluto's equator is comprised of several distinct color units. We detect ratios of V-filter/B-filter normal reflectances ranging from ~1.15 to ~1.39 on Pluto's sub-Charon hemisphere.
- Publication:
-
The Astronomical Journal
- Pub Date:
- January 2001
- DOI:
- 10.1086/318008
- Bibcode:
- 2001AJ....121..552Y
- Keywords:
-
- Key word: Planets and Satellites: Individual: Pluto;
- Planets and Satellites: Individual: Charon