Highlights - Volume 472-1 (September II 2007)

“25143 Itokawa: direct detection of the current decelerating spin state due to YORP effect”, by K. Kitazato, M. Abe, M. Ishiguro, and W.-H. Ip, A&A 472, p. L5

The authors have measured the Yarkovsky-O’Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) effect for the small, well-characterized, near-Earth asteroid 25143 Itokawa over a relatively short time period. Using a new and different technique from earlier determinations, they find that the detected deceleration rate of the asteroid is almost consistent with, but slightly smaller than, the theoretically-predicted value.

“Optical and infrared properties of V1647 Orionis during the 2003-2006 outburst.I. The reflection nebulas”, by A. Fedele, M.E. van den Ancker, M. G. Petr-Gotzens, N. Ageorges, and P. Rafanelli, A&A 472, p. 199

This paper presents new optical and infrared observations of the eruptive variable star V1647 Orionis and its associated nebula, McNeil's Nebula. The star erupted in 2003 for a period of about 2 years.