Detection of large color variation in the potentially hazardous asteroid (297274) 1996 SK

Low-inclination near-earth asteroid (NEA) (297274) 1996 SK, which is also classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid, has a highly eccentric orbit. It was studied by multi-wavelength photometry within the framework of an NEA color survey at Lulin Observatory. Here, we report the finding of large color variation across the surface of (297274) 1996 SK within one asteroidal rotation period of 4.656 ± 0.122 hours and classify it as an S-type asteroid according to its average colors of B - V = 0.767 ± 0.033, V - R = 0.482 ± 0.021, V - I = 0.801 ± 0.025 and the corresponding relative reflectance spectrum. These results might be indicative of differential space weathering or compositional inhomogeneity in the surface materials.