NICS-TNG infrared spectroscopy of trans-neptunian objects 2000 EB173 and 2000 WR106

¹ Centro Galileo Galilei & Telescopio Nazionale Galileo, PO Box 565, 38700, S/C de La Palma, Tenerife, Spain
² Osservatorio di Arcetri, Largo E. Fermi 5, 50125 Firenze, Italy
³ Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino, 10025 Pino Torinese, Italy

Corresponding author: J. Licandro, licandro@tng.iac.es

Received: 12 April 2001
Accepted: 25 May 2001

Abstract

We report complete near-infrared (0.9-2.4 μm) spectral observations of trans-neptunian objects (TNOs) 2000 EB173 and 2000 WR106 collected using the new Near Infrared Camera Spectrometer (NICS) attached to the 3.56 m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG). Both spectra are very red and with a quite strong and broad drop extending throughout the K band. However, while 2000 EB173 does not show any evidence of narrow absorption features, the spectrum of 2000 WR106 has quite deep water ice absorption at 1.5 and 2.0 μm. Moreover, the latter object is significantly less red than the former indicating, therefore, that the surface of 2000 WR106 is "cleaner" (i.e. less processed by particle irradiation) than that of 2000 EB173.