LIGHTCURVE ANALYSIS OF THE NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID (138095) 2000 DK79

Area of Science:

• Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Planetary Science
• Near-Earth Object Research

Background:

• Asteroid rotation periods are crucial for understanding their physical properties and potential impact risks.
• Photometric observations are a primary method for determining asteroid rotation periods.
• Geographical distribution of observation sites can influence the accuracy of derived rotation periods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the synodic rotation period of the near-Earth asteroid (138095) 2000 DK79.
• To evaluate the impact of observational data distribution on the accuracy of asteroid rotation period determination.
• To emphasize the importance of collaborative astronomical observations.

Main Methods:

• Collected CCD photometry data from two observatories in California in November 2013.
• Incorporated additional photometry data from an East Coast observatory.
• Analyzed light curves to derive synodic rotation periods using standard photometric techniques.

Main Results:

• An initial analysis using only California data yielded a synodic rotation period of 5.19 hours.
• The inclusion of East Coast data refined the synodic rotation period to a more accurate 4.243 hours.
• The asteroid (138095) 2000 DK79 completes approximately 5.62 rotations per Earth day.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative, multi-station asteroid photometry significantly improves the accuracy of rotation period measurements.
• Even for asteroids with rotation periods well under 24 hours, expanded observational networks are vital.
• Data sharing and coordinated efforts are essential for advancing near-Earth asteroid research.