Lightcurve Analysis of a Sample of Asteroids and Comets Observed with the Isaac Newton Telescope

Abstract

We present an analysis of six asteroids and one comet using data from the Wide Field Camera on the Isaac Newton Telescope, La Palma. As part of this work we developed a pipeline to reduce and absolutely calibrate photometry of inactive small bodies. For three of the objects, there was sufficient data to measure their rotation periods. We report rotation periods of (2.7774 ± 0.0004) hr and (3.121 ± 0.003) hr for main belt asteroids (7891) Fuchie and 1999 CP29 respectively, neither of which to our knowledge currently have a well-constrained rotation period. We also measure a rotation period for Jupiter-family comet 169P/NEAT of (8.37 ± 0.04) hr which is consistent with previous works. Colours in various filter combinations (Sloan r′ , g′ , i′ and RGO Z) were also determined, and for the six observed asteroids we present an approximate taxonomic classification.