UBV photometry of asteroid 433 Eros

UBV observations of asteroid 433 Eros were conducted on 17 nights during the winter of 1974/75. The peak-to-peak amplitude of the lightcurve varied from about 0.3 mag to nearly 1.4 mag. The absolute V mag at maximum light, extrapolated to zero phase, is 10.85. Phase coefficients of 0.0233 mag/degree, 0.0009 mag/degree, and 0.0004 mag/degree were derived for V, B-V and U-B, respectively. The zero-phase color of Eros (B-V = 0.88, U-B = 0.50) is representative of an S (silicaceous) compositional type asteroid. The color does not vary with rotation. The photometric behavior of Eros can be modeled by a cylinder with rounded ends having an axial ratio of about 2.3:1. The asteroid is rotating about a short axis with the north pole at 15 deg ecliptic longitude and 9 deg ecliptic latitude.