Electronic Telegram No. 3402
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
CBAT Director:  Daniel W. E. Green; Hoffman Lab 209; Harvard University;
 20 Oxford St.; Cambridge, MA  02138; U.S.A.
e-mail:  cbatiau@eps.harvard.edu (alternate cbat@iau.org)
URL http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/index.html
Prepared using the Tamkin Foundation Computer Network


(1727) METTE
      B. D. Warner, Palmer Divide Observatory, Colorado Springs, CO, USA;
R. D. Stephens, Center for Solar System Studies, Landers, CA, USA; and A. W.
Harris, MoreData!, La Canada, CA, USA, report that CCD photometric
observations made between Jan. 17 and 21 show that minor planet (1727) Mette
is a binary system with an orbital period of 21.05 +/- 0.03 hr.  The light
curve of the primary has a period of 2.98091 +/- 0.00009 hr with an amplitude
of 0.33 +/- 0.01 mag, indicating a moderately elongated body.  Assuming a
triaxial ellipsoidal shape and equatorial view, this gives an a/b ratio of
1.36 +/- 0.02.  This makes the object unusual in that the primaries of most
small binary systems are nearly spheroidal.  The depth of the events ranges
from 0.04 to 0.07 mag.  The depth of the secondary event gives a lower limit
for the effective secondary-to-primary diameter ratio of Ds/Dp = 0.20 +/-
0.02.  A general "bowing" of the secondary period light curve (amplitude
0.01-0.02 mag) indicates that the satellite is probably tidally-locked to
the orbital period.


NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes
      superseded by text appearing later in the printed IAU Circulars.

                         (C) Copyright 2013 CBAT
2013 February 5                  (CBET 3402)              Daniel W. E. Green