Projeto Observacional para 2016A - SO2016A-002

Autor: Julio Ignacio Bueno de Camargo
Instituição: ON
e-mail: camargo@on.br

Co-autores:
Roberto Vieira Martins
Felipe B. Ribas
Marcelo Assafin
Jose Luiz Ortiz
Rene Duffard
B. Sicardy
Leonardo Vanzi
Rodrigo Leiva

Título: ToO - Stellar occultations by transneptunians (TNOs) and Centaurs

Resumo: Distant solar system objects are keys to understand the history and evolution of the outer solar system. One way to study these objects is through stellar occultations. This technique allows the determination of sizes and shapes with kilometric accuracy (telling about albedos and densities), the detection of atmospheres down to pressures of few nanobars, as well as an investigation of the immediate vicinity of the target body (telling about the presence of rings, satellites, jets). Frequently, such measurements are only rivaled by those from space probes. Here, we propose to use our visitor instrument (a fast readout EMCCD camera) installed at SOAR to sample stellar occultations with both high SNR and high temporal resolution. Our goals are: monitor Chariklo's rings (that we discovered in June 2013), a follow-up of Pluto's atmosphere, and also to detect events by other TNOs and Centaurs. For this, we request 4h (12h with payback) in ToO mode. That would allow us to observe up to 3-4 events in 2016A. Observations would be triggered 2-3 weeks beforehand, as predictions are refined.