Circular No. 8227
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Mailstop 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
IAUSUBS@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or FAX 617-495-7231 (subscriptions)
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...

1937 UB (HERMES)
     J. L. Margot, University of California, Los Angeles; M. C.
Nolan, V. Negron, A. A. Hine, D. B. Campbell, and E. S. Howell,
National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center; L. A. M. Benner, S. J.
Ostro, and J. D. Giorgini, Jet Propulsion Laboratory; and B. G.
Marsden, Minor Planet Center, write:  "Arecibo (2380-MHz, 12.6-cm)
radar observations on Oct. 18 and 20 UT show that the recently
rediscovered (IAUC 8223) near-earth-object 1937 UB has a strongly
bifurcated appearance.  Our images show two separate components of
roughly equal sizes, consistent with an orbiting binary pair.  The
range-Doppler separation between components was 150 m at 1.5 Hz on
Oct. 18.2 and 600 m at 0.7 Hz on Oct. 20.1.  The Doppler broadening
of each component was 0.8 Hz on Oct. 18 and 0.6 Hz on Oct. 20.
Preliminary estimates of the diameters, based on visible range
extents, are 300-450 m.  Upper limits to the spin period of each
component are 13-21 hr for the above size range.  Additional data
are needed to provide an unambiguous orbital solution and to verify
whether the system is in a doubly synchronous configuration.  Radar
and lightcurve observations throughout this apparition would be
extremely valuable."

                      (C) Copyright 2003 CBAT
2003 October 20                (8227)            Daniel W. E. Green