Multiple Outbursts of Asteroid (6478) Gault

Quanzhi Ye; Michael S.P. Kelley; Dennis Bodewits; Bryce Bolin; Lynne Jones; Zhong Yi Lin; Eric C. Bellm; Richard Dekany; Dmitry A. Duev; Steven Groom; George Helou; Shrinivas R. Kulkarni; Thomas Kupfer; Frank J. Masci; Thomas A. Prince; Maayane T. Soumagnac

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ab0f3c

Multiple Outbursts of Asteroid (6478) Gault

Quanzhi Ye
, Michael S.P. Kelley
, Dennis Bodewits
, Bryce Bolin
, Lynne Jones
, Zhong Yi Lin
, Eric C. Bellm
, Richard Dekany
, Dmitry A. Duev
, Steven Groom
, George Helou
, Shrinivas R. Kulkarni
, Thomas Kupfer
, Frank J. Masci
, Thomas A. Prince
, Maayane T. Soumagnac

Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics

Weizmann Institute of Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Main-belt asteroid (6478) Gault unexpectedly sprouted two tails in late 2018 and early 2019, identifying it as a new active asteroid. Here we present observations obtained by the 1.2 m Zwicky Transient Facility survey telescope that provide detailed time-series coverage of the onset and evolution of Gault's activity. Gault exhibited two brightening events, with the first one starting on 2018 October 18 ±5 days and a second one starting on 2018 December 24 ±1 days. The amounts of mass released are 2 ×10 ⁷ kg and 1 ×10 ⁶ kg, respectively. Based on photometric measurements, each event persisted for about a month.

Original language	English
Article number	L16
Number of pages	8
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	874
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab0f3c
State	Published - 1 Apr 2019

Keywords

comets: individual ((6478) Gault)
minor planets, asteroids: individual ((6478) Gault)

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.3847/2041-8213/ab0f3c

Cite this

@article{972b68cf44fa42ae9a67135afbd3dfb0,

title = "Multiple Outbursts of Asteroid (6478) Gault",

abstract = " Main-belt asteroid (6478) Gault unexpectedly sprouted two tails in late 2018 and early 2019, identifying it as a new active asteroid. Here we present observations obtained by the 1.2 m Zwicky Transient Facility survey telescope that provide detailed time-series coverage of the onset and evolution of Gault's activity. Gault exhibited two brightening events, with the first one starting on 2018 October 18 ±5 days and a second one starting on 2018 December 24 ±1 days. The amounts of mass released are 2 {\texttimes}10 7 kg and 1 {\texttimes}10 6 kg, respectively. Based on photometric measurements, each event persisted for about a month.",

keywords = "comets: individual ((6478) Gault), minor planets, asteroids: individual ((6478) Gault)",

author = "Quanzhi Ye and Kelley, \{Michael S.P.\} and Dennis Bodewits and Bryce Bolin and Lynne Jones and Lin, \{Zhong Yi\} and Bellm, \{Eric C.\} and Richard Dekany and Duev, \{Dmitry A.\} and Steven Groom and George Helou and Kulkarni, \{Shrinivas R.\} and Thomas Kupfer and Masci, \{Frank J.\} and Prince, \{Thomas A.\} and Soumagnac, \{Maayane T.\}",

year = "2019",

month = apr,

day = "1",

doi = "10.3847/2041-8213/ab0f3c",

language = "English",

volume = "874",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Multiple Outbursts of Asteroid (6478) Gault

AU - Ye, Quanzhi

AU - Kelley, Michael S.P.

AU - Bodewits, Dennis

AU - Bolin, Bryce

AU - Jones, Lynne

AU - Lin, Zhong Yi

AU - Bellm, Eric C.

AU - Dekany, Richard

AU - Duev, Dmitry A.

AU - Groom, Steven

AU - Helou, George

AU - Kulkarni, Shrinivas R.

AU - Kupfer, Thomas

AU - Masci, Frank J.

AU - Prince, Thomas A.

AU - Soumagnac, Maayane T.

PY - 2019/4/1

Y1 - 2019/4/1

N2 - Main-belt asteroid (6478) Gault unexpectedly sprouted two tails in late 2018 and early 2019, identifying it as a new active asteroid. Here we present observations obtained by the 1.2 m Zwicky Transient Facility survey telescope that provide detailed time-series coverage of the onset and evolution of Gault's activity. Gault exhibited two brightening events, with the first one starting on 2018 October 18 ±5 days and a second one starting on 2018 December 24 ±1 days. The amounts of mass released are 2 ×10 7 kg and 1 ×10 6 kg, respectively. Based on photometric measurements, each event persisted for about a month.

AB - Main-belt asteroid (6478) Gault unexpectedly sprouted two tails in late 2018 and early 2019, identifying it as a new active asteroid. Here we present observations obtained by the 1.2 m Zwicky Transient Facility survey telescope that provide detailed time-series coverage of the onset and evolution of Gault's activity. Gault exhibited two brightening events, with the first one starting on 2018 October 18 ±5 days and a second one starting on 2018 December 24 ±1 days. The amounts of mass released are 2 ×10 7 kg and 1 ×10 6 kg, respectively. Based on photometric measurements, each event persisted for about a month.

KW - comets: individual ((6478) Gault)

KW - minor planets, asteroids: individual ((6478) Gault)

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85064455138

U2 - 10.3847/2041-8213/ab0f3c

DO - 10.3847/2041-8213/ab0f3c

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 874

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 2

M1 - L16

ER -

Multiple Outbursts of Asteroid (6478) Gault

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this