  Both Centaurs and trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) are minor bodies found in
the outer Solar System. Centaurs are a transient population that moves between
the orbits of Jupiter and Neptune, and they probably diffused out of the TNOs.
TNOs move mainly beyond Neptune. Some of these objects display episodic
cometary behaviour; a few percent of them are known to host binary companions.
Here, we study the light-curves of two Centaurs -2060 Chiron (1977 UB) and
10199 Chariklo (1997 CU26)- and three TNOs -38628 Huya (2000 EB173), 28978
Ixion (2001 KX76), and 90482 Orcus (2004 DW)- and the colours of the Centaurs
and Huya. Precise, ~1%, R-band absolute CCD photometry of these minor bodies
acquired between 2006 and 2011 is presented; the new data are used to
investigate the rotation rate of these objects. The colours of the Centaurs and
Huya are determined using BVRI photometry. The point spread function of the
five minor bodies is analysed, searching for signs of a coma or close
companions. Astrometry is also discussed. A periodogram analysis of the
light-curves of these objects gives the following rotational periods: 5.5+-0.4
h for Chiron, 7.0+-0.6 h for Chariklo, 4.45+-0.07 h for Huya, 12.4+-0.3 h for
Ixion, and 11.9+-0.5 h for Orcus. The colour indices of Chiron are found to be
B-V=0.53+-0.05, V-R=0.37+-0.08, and R-I=0.36+-0.15. The values computed for
Chariklo are V-R=0.62+-0.07 and R-I=0.61+-0.07. For Huya, we find
V-R=0.58+-0.09 and R-I=0.64+-0.20. We find very low levels of cometary activity
(if any) and no sign of close or wide binary companions for these minor bodies.
