128383 (2004 JW52) is an Ordinary Jupiter Trojan Asteroid

TL;DR

This paper clarifies that the Jupiter Trojan asteroid 128383 (2004 JW52) has typical colors for its class, emphasizing the importance of verifying observational data to avoid misclassification due to image blending.

Contribution

It demonstrates the necessity of checking for PSF blending in survey images to ensure accurate color measurements of minor planets.

Findings

128383 (2004 JW52) has typical Trojan asteroid colors

PSF blending can lead to incorrect color classification

Proper image analysis is crucial for reliable asteroid characterization

Abstract

The Jupiter Trojan asteroid 128383 (2004 JW52) was recently reported to have optical colors that are incongruous with its dynamical class. New and archival observations show that this is not the case. This is a reminder that we must always rule out the possibility that the Point Spread Function (PSF) of a minor planet is blended with that of a background sidereal source in survey images before its colors in the associated survey catalog can be considered reliable.