The fragmented asteroid 354P/LINEAR (2010 A2) captured by the K-GMT science program

With support from the K-GMT science program (PID: GN-2016B-Q-14), we conducted observations of active asteroid 354P/LINEAR (2010 A2) when it made its closest approach to Earth (i.e., the geocentric distance of 1.06 au on 2017 January 27-28). Taking advantage of the best observing geometry since the discovery, we obtained the first evidence for the rotational status of the largest fragment (~120 m in diameter), which was slowly rotating, that is, the rotational period of 11.36 hours. In addition, we succeed in direct imaging of 10 sub-fragments (~20 m in diameter or larger). Based on these new observational results, we conjecture that this active asteroid was created as a result of catastrophic collision among unknown asteroids. The details of this work are given in Astrophysical Journal Letters, 842, L23.