Photometric study of Centaur (60558) 2000 EC98 and trans-neptunian object (55637) 2002 UX25 at different phase angles

We present photometric observations of Centaur (60558) 2000 EC98 and trans-neptunian object (55637) 2002 UX25 at different phase angles and with different filters (mainly R but also V and B for some data). Results for 2000 EC98 are: (i) a rotation period of 26.802±0.042h if a double-peaked lightcurve is assumed, (ii) a lightcurve amplitude of 0.24±0.06 for the R band, (iii) a phase curve with H=9.03±0.01 and G=−0.39±0.08 (R filter) and H=9.55±0.04 and G=−0.50±0.35 (V filter) or a slope of 0.17±0.02magdeg−1 (R filter) and 0.22±0.06 (V filter), (iv) the color indices B-V=0.76±0.15 and V-R=0.51±0.09 (for α=0.1-0.5°) and 0.55±0.08 (for α=1.4-1.5°). The rotation period is amongst the longest ever measured for Centaurs and TNOs. We also show that our photometry was not contaminated by any cometary activity down to magnitude ≃27/arcsec2. For 2002 UX25 the results are: (i) a rotation period of 14.382±0.001h or 16.782±0.003h (if a double-peaked lightcurve is assumed) (ii) a lightcurve amplitude of 0.21±0.06 for the R band (and the 16.782 h period), (iii) a phase curve with H=3.32±0.01 and G=+0.16±0.18 or a slope of 0.13±0.01magdeg−1 (R filter), (iv) the color indices B-V=1.12±0.26 and V-R=0.61±0.12. The phase curve reveals also a possible very narrow and bright opposition surge. Because such a narrow surge appears only for one point it needs to be confirmed.