Direct measurement of the size of 2003 UB313 from the bubble space telescope

M. E. Brown; E. L. Schaller; H. G. Roe; D. L. Rabinowitz; C. A. Trujillo

doi:10.1086/504843

Direct measurement of the size of 2003 UB313 from the bubble space telescope

M. E. Brown, E. L. Schaller, H. G. Roe, D. L. Rabinowitz, C. A. Trujillo

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have used the Hubble Space Telescope to directly measure the angular size of the large Kuiper Belt object 2003 UB313. By carefully calibrating the point-spread function of a nearby field star, we measure the size of 2003 UB313 to be 34.3 ± 1.4 mas, corresponding to a diameter of 2400 ± 100 km or a size ∼5% larger than Pluto. The V-band geometric albedo of 2003 UB313 is 86% ± 7%. The extremely high albedo is consistent with the frosty methane spectrum, the lack of red coloring, and the lack of observed photometric variation on the surface of 2003 UB313. Methane photolysis should quickly darken the surface of 2003 UB313, but continuous evaporation and redeposition of surface ices appears capable of maintaining the extreme albedo of this body.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L61-L63
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	643
Issue number	1 II
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/504843
State	Published - May 29 2006
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Comets: General
Infrared: Solar system
Minor planets, asteroids

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/504843

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title = "Direct measurement of the size of 2003 UB313 from the bubble space telescope",

abstract = "We have used the Hubble Space Telescope to directly measure the angular size of the large Kuiper Belt object 2003 UB313. By carefully calibrating the point-spread function of a nearby field star, we measure the size of 2003 UB313 to be 34.3 ± 1.4 mas, corresponding to a diameter of 2400 ± 100 km or a size ∼5% larger than Pluto. The V-band geometric albedo of 2003 UB313 is 86% ± 7%. The extremely high albedo is consistent with the frosty methane spectrum, the lack of red coloring, and the lack of observed photometric variation on the surface of 2003 UB313. Methane photolysis should quickly darken the surface of 2003 UB313, but continuous evaporation and redeposition of surface ices appears capable of maintaining the extreme albedo of this body.",

keywords = "Comets: General, Infrared: Solar system, Minor planets, asteroids",

author = "Brown, {M. E.} and Schaller, {E. L.} and Roe, {H. G.} and Rabinowitz, {D. L.} and Trujillo, {C. A.}",

note = "Funding Information: We would like to thank the director and staff at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) for providing the opportunity to make these measurements and the assistance in making them happen. This research has been supported by a grant from STScI and from NASA Planetary Astronomy.",

year = "2006",

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doi = "10.1086/504843",

language = "English (US)",

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AU - Brown, M. E.

AU - Schaller, E. L.

AU - Roe, H. G.

AU - Rabinowitz, D. L.

AU - Trujillo, C. A.

N1 - Funding Information: We would like to thank the director and staff at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) for providing the opportunity to make these measurements and the assistance in making them happen. This research has been supported by a grant from STScI and from NASA Planetary Astronomy.

PY - 2006/5/29

Y1 - 2006/5/29

N2 - We have used the Hubble Space Telescope to directly measure the angular size of the large Kuiper Belt object 2003 UB313. By carefully calibrating the point-spread function of a nearby field star, we measure the size of 2003 UB313 to be 34.3 ± 1.4 mas, corresponding to a diameter of 2400 ± 100 km or a size ∼5% larger than Pluto. The V-band geometric albedo of 2003 UB313 is 86% ± 7%. The extremely high albedo is consistent with the frosty methane spectrum, the lack of red coloring, and the lack of observed photometric variation on the surface of 2003 UB313. Methane photolysis should quickly darken the surface of 2003 UB313, but continuous evaporation and redeposition of surface ices appears capable of maintaining the extreme albedo of this body.

AB - We have used the Hubble Space Telescope to directly measure the angular size of the large Kuiper Belt object 2003 UB313. By carefully calibrating the point-spread function of a nearby field star, we measure the size of 2003 UB313 to be 34.3 ± 1.4 mas, corresponding to a diameter of 2400 ± 100 km or a size ∼5% larger than Pluto. The V-band geometric albedo of 2003 UB313 is 86% ± 7%. The extremely high albedo is consistent with the frosty methane spectrum, the lack of red coloring, and the lack of observed photometric variation on the surface of 2003 UB313. Methane photolysis should quickly darken the surface of 2003 UB313, but continuous evaporation and redeposition of surface ices appears capable of maintaining the extreme albedo of this body.

KW - Comets: General

KW - Infrared: Solar system

KW - Minor planets, asteroids

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ER -

Direct measurement of the size of 2003 UB313 from the bubble space telescope

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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