Image Details

Choose export citation format:

Trans-Neptunian Binary Mutual Events in the 2020s and 2030s

  • Authors: Benjamin Proudfoot, Will Grundy, Darin Ragozzine

Benjamin Proudfoot et al 2026 The Astrophysical Journal Letters 1001 .

  • Provider: AAS Journals

Caption: Figure 2.

Our prediction of the light curves of Altjira’s 2025 October 2 mutual event. Faint gray lines show the model light curves of posterior draws that show a mutual event (96% of the 500). Blue lines show the median light curve of the ensemble of posterior draws (including those that produce no mutual event). On the left, light curves are displayed as a function of UTC date/time, where the median light curve corresponds to the expected magnitude drop at any given UTC time. Where the median light curve is nonzero are times at which observations are more likely than not (i.e., p  > 0.5) to catch a mutual event. On the right, model light curves are indexed to the time of minimum on-sky separation, where the median light curve corresponds to the typical light-curve morphology. We note the median light curve does not necessarily represent a self-consistent mutual event light curve but rather a statistical average incorporating uncertainties/differences in event timing, depth, duration, and morphology.

Other Images in This Article
Copyright and Terms & Conditions

Additional terms of reuse