Satellite of 5457 Queen's Discovery and Confirmation by Two Stellar Occultations
Abstract
We report the discovery and confirmation of a previously unknown satellite of the main-belt asteroid 5457 Queen's (1980 TW5) via GPS-time-stamped video recordings of two stellar occultations. The first occultation on 2023 September 4.93059 resulted in three positive chords from the Czech Republic and Switzerland for the main body, allowing an elliptical fit of 24.6 ± 0.9 km × 16.2 ± 0.7 km, and in a 2.0 ± 0.2 km chord of the presumed satellite. 15.07 days later, on September 20.00597, the satellite was confirmed by an observer in Greece, who determined a chord of 17.5 ± 0.5 km for the main body and a chord of 2.8 ± 0.5 km for the satellite. Using both satellite chords as diameters of spherical bodies, we derived the following satellite distances from the main body: 2023 September 4.93059: separation 11.4 ± 0.7 mas, p.a. 52.2 ± 3.0°; 2023 September 20.00597: separation 20.4 ± 0.5 mas, p.a. 248.8 ± 3.0°. Further observations are required to derive the orbital parameters. We indicate upcoming occultation events until October 2024.
- Publication:
-
Minor Planet Bulletin
- Pub Date:
- April 2024
- Bibcode:
- 2024MPBu...51..197W
- Keywords:
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- Minor Planets;
- Asteroids;
- Light Curves;
- Photometry;
- Periods