Resolved CCD Photometry of Pluto and Charon

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1988 · Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/132196· OSTI ID:6854775

Jones, J H; Waddell, P; Christian, C A

Highly resolved CCD images of Pluto and Charon near maximum separation are measured with point spread function fitting techniques to determine independent magnitudes and an accurate separation for Pluto and Charon. A measured separation of 0.923 + or - 0.005 arcsec at a position angle of 173.3 + or - 0.3 deg on June 18, 1987 UT produced a value of 19558.0 + or - 153.0 km for the radius of Charon's orbit. An apparent B magnitude of 14.877 + or - 0.009 and (B-I) color of 1.770 + or - 0.015 are determined for Pluto, while Charon is fainter with B = 18.826 + or - 0.011 and slightly bluer with (B-I) = 1.632 + or - 0.018. 18 references.

• Research Organization: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corp., Kamuela, HI (USA); Hawaii Univ., Honolulu (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6854775
• Journal Information: Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States), Vol. 100
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
PLUTO PLANET
PHOTOMETRY
SATELLITES
COLOR
DISTANCE
IMAGES
LUMINOSITY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLANETS
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena