ASTEROIDS : (19308) 1996 TO 66

(19308) 1996 TO66 was observed at the NTT of the European Southern Observatory in August 1996. On the picture at right (19308) 1996 TO66 appears punctual and stars appear as small lines because the telescope tracks this transneptunian object in its movement. The long horizontal drag is due to the passage of an artificial satellite.

Thanks to these observations the first period of rotation of a trans-Neptunian object was determined: 6.25 hours.

The knowledge of rotational properties provides valuable clues to the collisional evolution of these objects. Knowing that (19308) 1996 TO66 is one of the largest known trans-Neptunian objects (and one of the largest asteroids), the researchers believe that it may has kept its primordial period of rotation.