Ground-Based Optical Observations of Asteroids

Abstract

AbstractMany physical parameters of asteroids can be inferred from remote measurements at optical wavelengths. These observations constitute the bulk of the information we have about these objects, and nicely complement the detailed physical studies which are made possible by in situ explorations of a few selected targets. The discovery of many binary systems for which mass determinations become possible, the identification of hydration features in asteroid spectra, including unexpectedly many M-types, the detection of space-weathering phenomena affecting S-type near-Earth objects, as well as improved estimates of sizes, albedos, and spin properties for many objects are among the major results obtained in recent years by means of remote-sensing techniques. These data can be used to infer important properties of the internal structures of the asteroids.