asteroid lightcurve

An asteroid lightcurve is a graph that shows how the brightness of an asteroid changes over time as it rotates. As the asteroid spins, different parts of its surface reflect sunlight, causing variations in how bright it appears from Earth. By measuring these brightness changes with telescopes, scientists can learn about the asteroid's shape, rotation speed, and even whether it has any moons. Analyzing lightcurves helps astronomers better understand the physical properties and behaviors of these celestial bodies in our solar system.