• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.98.1-98.1
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• 2012

The Hayabusa mission successfully rendezvoused with its target asteroid 25143 Itokawa in 2005 and brought the asteroidal sample to the Earth in 2009. This mission enabled to connect the S-type asteroids to ordinary chondrites, the counterpart meteorites which exist in near Earth orbit. Recent finding of a fragment from 25143 Itokawa [1] suggested that the asteroid experienced an impact after the injection to the near-Earth orbit. In this presentation, we investigated the evidence of the recent impact on 25143 Itokawa using the onboard camera, AMICA. AMICA took more than 1400 images of Itokawa during the rendezvous phase. It is reported that AMICA images are highly contaminated by lights scattered inside the optics in the longer wavelength. We developed a technique to subtract the scattered light by determining the point spread functions for all available channels. As the result, we first succeeded in the determination of the surface spectra in all available bands. We consider a most fresh-looking compact crater, Kamoi, is a possible impact site.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.105-117
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• 2021

In this study, a preliminary trajectory design is conducted for a conceptual spacecraft mission to a near-Earth asteroid (NEA) (99942) Apophis, which is expected to pass by Earth merely 32,000 km from the Earth's surface in 2029. This close approach event will provide us with a unique opportunity to study changes induced in asteroids during close approaches to massive bodies, as well as the general properties of NEAs. The conceptual mission is set to arrive at and rendezvous with Apophis in 2028 for an advanced study of the asteroid, and some near-optimal (in terms of fuel consumption) trajectories under this mission architecture are to be investigated using a global optimization algorithm called monotonic basin hopping. It is shown that trajectories with a single swing-by from Venus or Earth, or even simpler ones without gravity assist, are the most feasible. In addition, launch opportunities in 2029 yield another possible strategy of leaving Earth around the 2029 close approach event and simply following the asteroid thereafter, which may be an alternative fuel-efficient option that can be adopted if advanced studies of Apophis are not required.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.61.3-62
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• 2015

Remote-sensing observation is one of the observation methods that provide valuable information, such as composition and surface physical conditions of solar system objects. The Hayabusa spacecraft succeeded in the first sample returning from a near-Earth asteroid, (25143) Itokawa. It has established a ground truth technique to connect between ordinary chondrite meteorites and S-type asteroids. One of the scientific observation instruments that Hayabusa carried, Asteroid Multi-band Imaging Camera(AMICA) has seven optical-near infrared filters (ul, b, v, w, x, p, and zs), taking more than 1400 images of Itokawa during the rendezvous phase. The reflectance of planetary body can provide valuable information of the surface properties, such as the optical aspect of asteroid surface at near zero phase angle (i.e. Sun-asteroid-observer's angle is nearly zero), light scattering on the surface, and surface roughness. However, only little information of the phase angle dependences of the reflectance of the asteroid is known so far. In this study, we investigated the phase angle dependences of Itokawa's surface to understand the surface properties in the solar phase angle of $0^{\circ}-40^{\circ}$ using AMICA images. About 700 images at the Hayabusa rendezvous phase were used for this study. In addition, we compared our result with those of several photometry models, Minnaert model, Lommel-Seeliger model, and Hapke model. At this conference, we focus on the AMICA's v-band data to compare with previous ground-based observation researches.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.96.1-96.1
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• 2014

The rotation of asteroids can help reveal not only the fundamental characteristics of asteroids but also the origin and evolution of our Solar System. From the photometric observations for NEA 162173 (1999 JU3) and Maria family asteroids using 0.5 m- to 2 m- class telescopes at 10 observatories in the northern hemisphere, I obtained a total of 260 lightcurves for 97 asteroids and derived synodic rotational periods for 51 objects, including newly obtained periods of 34 asteroids. For the sake of efficiency, I developed an observation scheduler, SMART (Scheduler for Measuring Asteroid RoTation) and a photometric analysis software subsystem, ASAP (Asteroid Spin Analysis Package). Based on the lightcurve analysis of NEA 162173 (1999 JU3) and Maria family asteroids, 1) I present the rotational and observational characteristics of 1999 JU3 and provided the Hayabusa-2 Science team with the information on pole orientations, 2) I investigated correlations among rotational periods, amplitudes of lightcurves, and sizes, and conclude that the rotational properties of old-type family asteroids have been changed considerably by the YORP effect. 3) Finally, I found the Yarkovsky footprints on the Maria asteroid family and estimated that approximately 37 to 75 Maria family asteroids larger than 1 km have entered the near-Earth space every 100 Myr. This study should reveal the collisional history and transport route of the members from the resonance region to the near Earth space, for the first time.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.85.2-86
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• 2015

The YORP effect is non-gravitational force that changes the spin-status of asteroid. So far this effect has been directly detected only from the Near-Earth asteroids (Taylor et al. 2007; Lowry et al. 2007, 2014; Breiter et al. 2011; Durech et al. 2008, 2012). Pravec at el. 2008 found the evidences for changing spin rate of small asteroids (3 - 15 km) by the YORP effect in the Main-Belt and Mars-crossing asteroids. The Mars-crossing asteroids (1.3 < q < 1.66 AU) are objects that cross orbit of the Mars. The Mars-crossing asteroids are regarded as one of the main sources for the Near-Earth asteroids. We expect that rotation of Mars-crossing asteroids would be influenced by the YORP effect. We try to search observational evidence of the YORP effect for the Mars-crossing asteroid. Our target 2078 Nanking is a population of the Mars-crossing asteroid. First light-curve of 2078 Nanking was obtained from Mohamed et al. 1994, and Warner et al. 2015 recently published new observational data. We observed this asteroid on 26th Nov. 2014 and 17th Jan. 2015 using SOAO (Sobaeksan Optical Astronomy Observatory) 0.61 m telescope with 4K CCD. Using light-curve inversion method (Kaasalainen & Torppa 2001; Kaasalainen et al. 2001), we try to determine the pole orientation and shape model of this asteroid based on the combination of our light-curve and literature photometric data. Knowing spin parameters, such as rotational period and spin axis, are essential for studying the YORP effect. In this presentation, we provide some preliminary results of our recent study: light-curve and processing of shape modeling of 2078 Nanking. We plan to find observational clue for the YORP effect on the Mars-crossing asteroids.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.83.1-83.1
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• 2019

Identifying asteroid families, which are groups of asteroids with similar orbital properties, is important for understanding the formation and evolution of the solar system, and probing the origins of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). Although asteroid taxonomy can be used to identify and refine asteroid families, there are numerous asteroids which are not taxonomically classified yet. Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet) can be useful to investigate types of that asteroids, because the telescope can observe a number of asteroids at once by its large field of view. Using KMTNet data, we confirmed that the taxonomic classification of the asteroids is possible by plotting color-color diagram. There is a clear division between C-type and S-type, but ambiguous division between C-type and X-type. In the future, we will observe and classify asteroids which are not classified yet and utilize the data to identify and refine asteroid families.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.57.2-57.2
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• 2021

An asteroid is important for understanding the condition of our solar system in early-stage because an asteroid, considered as a building block of the solar system, preserves the information when our solar system was formed. It has been continuously flowing into the near-Earth space, and then some asteroids have a probability of impacting Earth. Some asteroids have valuable minerals and volatiles for future resources in space activity. Korean government clarified, in the 3rd promotion plan for space activity, an asteroid sample return mission by the mid-2030s. However, it is almost impossible to do so based on only a single experience of an exploration mission to the Moon, Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, which will be launched in mid-2022. We propose a Rendezvous Mission to Apophis(RMA), beneficial in terms of science, impact hazardous, resource, and technical readiness for the space exploration of Korea.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.87.1-87.1
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• 2010

Main-belt comets (hereafter MBCs) are one of the hottest topics in the solar system astronomy. They are objects orbiting in the main asteroid belt which show cometary activity. Unlike most comets, which spend most of their orbit beyond 5AU from the Sun, MBCs follow near-circular orbits within the asteroid belt that are indistinguishable from the orbits of major population of the asteroids. P/2010 A2, the fifth MBC, was discovered by on January 6, 2010 by Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research. It passed its perihelion at 2.01AU on December 3, 2009, about a month before it was discovered. With an aphelion of only 2.6 AU, P/2010 A2 spends all of its time inside of the frostline ~2.7 AU. We made observations of P/2010 A2 with Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory 2-m telescope only a week after the discovery. From the observed images, we found that the dust cloud was composed of large particles (>1mm) impulsively ejected between March and June, 2009. No coma was detected by our observations, suggesting that this object was no longer active. Consequently, we conjecture that these dust particles could be released by the impact collision among asteroids.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.43.4-44
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• 2021

99942 Apophis is an Sq-type Aten group Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) with an estimated size of 370 m. It will approach the Earth to come within the geostationary orbit during the upcoming encounter on April 13, 2029 to offer a unique chance to study its 1) global properties, 2) surface arrangements, and 3) their detectable changes expected to happen, in sub-meter scale. What measurable scientific goals for the asteroid in this "once a millennium" event could transform our knowledge of planetary science and defense? The Apophis rendezvous mission aims to understand the characteristics of the small solar system body's nature. It also prepares for potential threats from natural objects by measuring in-situ surface, shape, rotation, and orbit changes expected to occur when the target asteroid passes close to the Earth in 2029. We will present an overview of the mission scheduled to be launched from late 2026 to early 2027 and introduce scientific objectives.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.398-407
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• 2016

We cooperated with four domestic educational astronomical observatories to construct a baseline and perform simultaneous observations to determine the geocentric parallax, distance, and motion of 1036 Ganymed, an Amor asteroid near the Earth. Observations were made on the day when simultaneous observations were possible from September to November 2011. Measured distances of 1036 Ganymed were 0.394 AU on Sept. 26, 0.365 AU on Oct. 11, and 0.340 AU on Oct. 25, respectively, which were within the error range as compared with the measured distances proposed by the US Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The 1036 Ganymed showed a tilting motion during the observation period, and the tangential angular velocities were measured at $0.037-0.052^{{\prime {\prime}}\;sec^{-1}$. Through this study, it was shown that the simultaneous observations among educational astronomical observations can obtain distance measurements with an error range of about 5% for asteroids near 0.4 AU. And it expected to be used as a research & education program emphasizing collaborative observation activities based on a network between observatories.