Dim interstellar asteroids typically reach detectable brightness only when moving fast across the sky, while bright or cometary objects are detectable at slower speeds, implying surveys may miss a large fraction of the dim population.
On the rotation period and shape of the hyperbolic asteroid 1I/`Oumuamua (2017) U1 from its lightcurve
2 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.
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Pith papers citing it
abstract
We observed the newly discovered hyperbolic minor planet 1I/`Oumuamua (2017 U1) on 2017 October 30 with Lowell Observatory's 4.3-m Discovery Channel Telescope. From these observations, we derived a partial lightcurve with peak-to-trough amplitude of at least 1.2 mag. This lightcurve segment rules out rotation periods less than 3 hr and suggests that the period is at least 5 hr. On the assumption that the variability is due to a changing cross section, the axial ratio is at least 3:1. We saw no evidence for a coma or tail in either individual images or in a stacked image having an equivalent exposure time of 9000 s.
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astro-ph.EP 2representative citing papers
A review finds all available observations of 'Oumuamua consistent with natural processes from Solar System minor bodies and planetary evolution.
citing papers explorer
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Sky-Plane Velocity Distributions of Interstellar Objects and Implications for Their Detection
Dim interstellar asteroids typically reach detectable brightness only when moving fast across the sky, while bright or cometary objects are detectable at slower speeds, implying surveys may miss a large fraction of the dim population.
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The Natural History of 'Oumuamua
A review finds all available observations of 'Oumuamua consistent with natural processes from Solar System minor bodies and planetary evolution.