Title: "Near-IR Spectra of the Trans-Neptunian Object 1996 TO66: a Real Observational Challenge" Sarah Sonnett (IfA-UHawaii) Abstract: TNOs are known to contain the most primordial material in the observable solar system and therefore offer a unique chance to study chemical and physical properties of the early solar system. Of the objects with visible photometry, ~10% show peculiarly blue colors, a trait that may very well be attributable to cometary activity. This type of behavior has never before been directly observed for a TNO and would have huge implications in our understanding of the nature of these objects. 1996 TO66 is a blue TNO whose rotational light curve has variable amplitude, although no consensus has yet been reached as to what its period and amplitude are. There has also been discussion as to whether or not the light curve itself has *changed* due to a change in surface properties. The only way to unambiguously determine whether or not resurfacing has occurred uniformly over the surface of 1996 TO66 is to obtain rotationally-resolved spectra of the 1.5 and 2.0-micron water bands in the near-IR regime. I will present the results from near-IR spectra taken on one night in September 2009 with Keck I's NIRC in order to search for variation in the depth of these water bands.