2016/06/29 by C. R. Nugent, A. Mainzer, J. Bauer +6 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph.EP
paper · pdf · doi:10.3847/0004-6256/152/3/63
Accepted to AJ
arxiv created 2016/06/29 · openalex created_date 2016/07/22 · openalex publication_date 2016/08/19 · arxiv updated 2016/08/31 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The Near-Earth Object Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) mission continues to detect, track, and characterize minor planets. We present diameters and albedos calculated from observations taken during the second year since the spacecraft was reactivated in late 2013. These include 207 near-Earth asteroids and 8,885 other asteroids. 84% of the near-Earth asteroids did not have previously measured diameters and albedos by the NEOWISE mission. Comparison of sizes and albedos calculated from NEOWISE measurements with those measured by occultations, spacecraft, and radar-derived shapes shows accuracy consistent with previous NEOWISE publications. Diameters and albedos fall within ± ∼20% and ±∼40%, 1-sigma, respectively, of those measured by these alternate techniques. NEOWISE continues to preferentially discover near-Earth objects which are large (>100 m), and have low albedos.