29 November 2011 stellar occultation by 2060 Chiron: Symmetric jet-like features

• Published in: Icarus (New York, N.Y. 1962) Vol. 252; pp. 271 - 276
• Main Authors: Ruprecht, Jessica D., Bosh, Amanda S., Person, Michael J., Bianco, Federica B., Fulton, Benjamin J., Gulbis, Amanda A.S., Bus, Schelte J., Zangari, Amanda M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 15.05.2015
• Subjects: Centaurs; Chiron; Comets; Comets, dust; Comets, nucleus; Extinction; Infrared telescopes; NASA; Networks; Occultations; Optical thickness; Symmetry; Telescopes; Comets; Comets, dust; Occultations; Comets, nucleus; Centaurs
• ISSN: 0019-1035; 1090-2643
• DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2015.01.015

•We observed an occultation by Chiron’s nucleus of an m=14.9star.•We determine the nucleus diameter to be at least 158±14km.•We observed symmetric extinction features on either side of the nucleus, possibly a shell or ring of material. On 29 November 2011 UT, 2060 Chiron occulted a R=14.9-mag star; data were successfully obtained at the 3-m NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on Mauna Kea and 2-m Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT) Faulkes Telescope North (FTN) at Haleakala. The MORIS lightcurve shows a solid-body detection of Chiron’s nucleus with a chord duration of 16.0±1.4s, corresponding to a chord length of 158±14km. Symmetric, dual extinction features in the FTN light curve indicate the presence of optically thick material roughly 300km from the body midpoint. The duration of the features indicates a 3±2km feature separated by 10–14km from a second 7±2km feature. The symmetry, optical thickness, and narrow size of these features allow for the intriguing possibility of a near-circular arc or shell of material.