Polarimetric properties of transneptunian objects and Centaurs from the VLT Large Programme

Polarimetric observations of 3 Centaurs and 5 transneptunian objects (TNOs) carried out within the VLT Large Programme (VLT-LP) show that, first, all objects display negative polarization at small phase angles whose minimum values varied from -0.3% to -2.2%; second, even a single polarization measurement at a phase angle larger than 1o can discriminate between a high-albedo and a low-albedo surface; third, polarimetric properties of Centaurs are more diverse than those of TNOs; and, fourth, polarimetric properties of distant objects are different from those of main-belt asteroids, providing evidence for different surface texture of these bodies.