OSIRIS-REx: Ground-Based Photometry and Light Curves of Asteroid Bennu

University of Arizona Observatories Kuiper 1.54-m reflector collected photometry and light curve observations of asteroid 101955 Bennu in September 2005. The data includes ECAS system photometry and derived light curves from the OSIRIS-REx mission ground observing campaign. Observations of Bennu and a series of 5 standard stars were made to characterize potential mission targets.

Use Cases

• Modeling asteroid rotation and shape based on derived light curves
• Analyzing surface composition and albedo based on ECAS system photometry
• Calibrating astronomical observations based on included standard star data
• Supporting target characterization for space missions based on the OSIRIS-REx campaign data

Strengths

• Includes observations of 5 standard stars for calibration
• Data is associated with the OSIRIS-REx mission, a major NASA sample return mission
• Observations were made with the University of Arizona Observatories Kuiper 1.54-m reflector

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Ground-based telescope observations as part of the OSIRIS-REx mission campaign

Time Range

September 2005

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 20:18:18.203013; freshness should be verified

Geography

Mt. Bigelow, Arizona, United States