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The rotation state of 4015 Wilson-Harrington: Revisiting origins for the near-Earth asteroidsCCD photometry performed on the comet-asteroid transition object 4015 Wilson-Harrington during its most recent apparition has provided a new rotational lightcurve with a standard double-peaked rotational period of 6.1 +/- 0.05 hr and an amplitude of 0.2 magnitudes. The size, rotation period, and lightcurve amplitude of this object are all similar to values found for near-Earth asteroids (NEA) and small main-belt asteroids. However, these values vary significantly from those of any previously well-studied cometary nuclei. In short, the range in cometary nuclear properties is greater than that indicated by the comets studied previously and although the statistics are still poor, the size and rotational properties of 4015 Wilson-Harrington do suggest that some fraction of NEAs are of cometary origin.
Document ID
19950052138
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Osip, DAVIDJ.
(Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL United States)
Campins, H.
(Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL United States)
Schleicher, David G.
(Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
April 1, 1995
Publication Information
Publication: Icarus
Volume: 114
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0019-1035
Subject Category
Astronomy
Accession Number
95A83737
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-3884
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF AST-91-15580
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGT-50959
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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