Identification of Water Ice on the Centaur 1997 CU26

摘要: Spectra of the Centaur 1997 CU26 were obtained at Keck Observatory on 27 October (universal time). The data show strong absorptions 1.52 and 2.03 micrometers attributable to water ice surface CU26. reflectance spectrum is matched by a mixture low-temperature, particulate spectrally featureless but otherwise red-colored material. Water dominates CU26, whereas methane or methane-like hydrocarbons apparently dominate Kuiper belt object 1993 SC, perhaps indicating different origins, thermal histories, both for these two objects.