Results of observations of dual-status object 2008 GO98 in 2017

Abstract

We present the results of optical observations of the dual-status object 2008 GO98 (362P) performed at the Sanglokh Observatory of the Institute of Astrophysics, National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan and at the Astronomical Observatory of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (Ukraine) in July–September 2017. The asteroid showed cometary activity signs such as a dust coma and a tail, the presence of which was confirmed by the morphology analysis. The apparent and absolute magnitudes of the asteroid in the R band were measured. The absolute magnitude gradual decrease from 13.97 to 14.53 showed the activity decline during the observation period. The dust production rate decrease towards the end of the observation period also confirms the ceasing of the object’s activity. We estimated the upper limit of the diameter of the asteroid as ~7 km which is consistent with the available data. The new data support a cometary nature of the object. The equatorial coordinates of the asteroid were determined. The accuracy of astrometric measurements made it possible to calculate the orbit, the elements of which were consistent with the available orbital data. The asteroid activity did not affect the stability of the orbit.