The rotation period of 2002 VE95 is poorly defined and has ambiguous results with multiple alternative period solutions between 4.90 and 10 hours.[6] In December 2002, a rotational lightcurve of this object was obtained from photometric observations by astronomers from the Sierra Nevada Observatory in Spain. Lightcurve analysis gave a poorly defined period of 6.76±0.01 hours with a brightness variation of 0.08±0.04magnitude (U=1+).[9] Two years later in December 2004, it was revisited by the same astronomers, obtaining another poorly defined period of 9.97±0.05 hours with an amplitude of 0.05±0.01 magnitude (U=1+).[10] Other observations by Sheppard only determined an amplitude of less than 0.06 magnitude (U=1).[16]
Diameter and albedo
In 2010, observations with the Herschel Space Telescope, using its PACS instrument to measure the object's thermal radiation, gave a mean diameter of 249.8+13.5 −13.1 km with a relatively high albedo of 0.149+0.019 −0.016 for an absolute magnitude of 5.70±0.06.[7][8] In addition, an asteroid occultations on 3 December 2015, gave a best-fit ellipse dimension of (250.0 km × 250.0 km) with an poor quality rating of 1.[8] These timed observations are taken when the asteroid passes in front of a distant star.[8] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a more regular albedo for a distant object of 0.10 and hence estimates a larger diameter of 297 kilometers.[6]
Color and composition
In the visible light, 2002 VE95 has a featureless reflectance spectrum.[17] It is very red in color (RR),[11] with a color index of 1.080 and 0.71, in the B–V and V−R passband filters, respectively.[6][12]
The near-infrared spectrum of 2002 VE95 is flat with two distinct absorption bands of water ice at 1.5 and 2.0 μm. There is the third feature near 2.3 μm of unclear origin.[18] The spectral behavior of this object is similar to 5145 Pholus, a centaur.[18] Observations with the Very Large Telescope revealed that 2002 VE95 has a heterogeneous surface—the amount of different ices and non-ice components depends on the observed area. Among the probable surface materials are water ice (4–19%), methanol ice (10–12%), and various tholins, photochemically altered organic compounds, also found on Triton and Titan. The redder areas are generally associated with the presence of methanol ice. The surface of 2002 VE95 appears to be primordial in origin.[19]
^ abcdeMommert, M.; Harris, A. W.; Kiss, C.; Pál, A.; Santos-Sanz, P.; Stansberry, J.; et al. (May 2012). "TNOs are cool: A survey of the trans-Neptunian region. V. Physical characterization of 18 Plutinos using Herschel-PACS observations". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 541: A93. arXiv:1202.3657. Bibcode:2012A&A...541A..93M. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118562. ISSN0004-6361.
^Fornasier, S.; Barucci, M.A.; De Bergh, C.; Alvarez-Candal, A.; Demeo, F.; Merlin, F.; Perna, D.; Guilbert, A.; Delsanti, A.; Dotto, E.; Doressoundiram, A. (2009). "Visible spectroscopy of the new ESO large programme on trans-Neptunian objects and Centaurs: final results". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 508 (1): 457–465. arXiv:0910.0450. Bibcode:2009A&A...508..457F. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200912582. S2CID8479334.
