A STUDY OF HILDA ASTEROIDS .1. CCD SPECTROSCOPY OF HILDA ASTEROIDS

Reflectance spectra with a wavelength coverage between 4000-9100 Angst rom have been obtained for eight Hilda asteroids with the 2.2m telesco pe at the European Southern Observatory in Chile. From the obtained sp ectra we determined the Tholen taxonomy for five objects, four as D-ty pe (1038 Tuckia, 3514 1971UJ, 3561 Devine and 3655 Eupraksia) and one as DP-type (1202 Marina). The P-type Hilda asteroids are significantly larger than the D-types, their mean diameters are 87 km and 54 km, re spectively. A possible spectral slope-size relation, similar to the re lationship found for D-type asteroids and Trojans was found for the Hi lda asteroids. In the spectrum of 3655 Eupraksia, possible absorption features indicative of phyllosilicates and ferric iron (Fe3+) was dete cted.