Eclipsing binary asteroid 90 Antiope

CCD observations of the binary asteroid 90 Antiope were carried out at seven observatories (Borowiec, Kharkiv, Pic du Midi, Chateau Renard, Les Engarouines, Ottmarsheim, and Durtal) on 31 nights from December 2002 through April 2003. The results show two-component lightcurves with each showing the same period of 16.505 ± 0.002 h. The first component is associated with the rotation of the two non-spherical bodies of the system; the second one is due to eclipses/occultations in the binary system. The lightcurves suggest that Antiope is an 'almost synchronous system' with orbital period of 16.5051 ± 0.0002 h and a little shorter rotational one of 16.5047 ± 0.0002 h. The ecliptic coordinates of the pole of the orbit system are λ_n = 17° ± 5° and β_n = 25° ± 5°. A possibility of the observation of the eclipsing events during two future oppositions (April 2004 and July 2005) has been predicted.