International Efforts in the Detection of NEOs

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International Efforts in the Detection of NEOs

• Claire Thomas
• December 6, 2005

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The Spaceguard Foundation

• Quoted from by-laws
• ... the Association is therefore an entity
  eminently oriented within the most general
  framework of scientific research and shall pursue
  the following purposes
• to promote and co-ordinate activities for the
  discovery, pursuit (follow-up) and orbital
  calculation of the NEO at an international level
  
• to promote study activities - at theoretical,
  observational and experimental levels - of the
  physical-mineralogical characteristics of the
  minor bodies of the solar system, with particular
  attention to the NEO
• to promote and co-ordinate a ground network (the
  Spaceguard System), backed up by possible
  satellite network, for the discovery observations
  and for astrometric and physical follow-up.

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International Astronomical Union

• Founded in 1919, to promote and safeguard the
  science of astronomy in all its aspects through
  international cooperation
• Permanent IAU Secretariat located at the Institut
  dAstrophysique in Paris, France.
• Made up of the individual membership of
  professional astronomers.
• Organized by 12 Scientific Divisions, and 37
  specialized Commissions and 90 Working and
  Program Groups
• IAU Working Group of NEOs (WGNEO), sponsored by
  Division I (Fundamental Astronomy), and Division
  III (Planetary Systems Sciences)

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Klet ObservatoryCeske Budejovice, Czech Republic

• State supported research institution, with
  research projects also supported by grants.
• Resides at an altitude of 1070m at the top of
  Klet mountain
• Founded in 1957
• There are one hundred and fifty clear nights per
  year with a good astronomical seeing on the
  average

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NEO Program at Klet

• Goals
• confirmation of newly discovered NEO candidates
• analysis of possible cometary activity
• follow-up astrometry of newly discovered NEOs in
  longer arc
• recoveries of NEOs in the second convenient
  opposition
• astrometry of poorly observed NEOs in further
  oppositions
• astrometry of targets of space missions and
  special campaigns

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Siding Spring Survey400 km NW of Sydney,
Australia

• Southern hemisphere counterpart of Arizonas
  Catalina Sky Survey
• Jointly operated by the University of Arizona and
  the Australian National University
• Staffed by two, locally, but supported by CSS
  team

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Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory

• Built in 1956 in Sweden
• Initially sited at the Mount Stromlo Observatory
  near Canberra
• Relocated in 1982 to Siding Spring Observatory
• Used extensively throughout the late 80s and
  early 90s for follow-up astrometry

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EUNEASOA European NEO Search, Follow-up and
Physical Observation Program

• EUropean Near-Earth Asteroids Search
  Observatories
• A cooperative of European institutes aimed at
  organizing the search for NEOs
• Participating Institutes
• DLR, Institute of Planetary Exploration, Berlin,
  Germany
• Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
• Uppsala Astronomical Observatory, Uppsala, Sweden
  
• Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino, Pino
  Torinese, Italy
• Istituto di Astronomia, Università di Padova,
  Padova, Italy
• Ondrejov Observatory, Czech Republic
• Astronomical Observatory, Kharkiv State Univ.,
  Kharkiv, Ukraine

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EARN

• European Asteroid Research Node
• An online database intended to facilitate the
  exchange of data and other information about both
  theoretical and observational asteroid research.
  
• contains information on all known near-Earth
  objects (Atens-Apollo-Amor Asteroids), and is
  updated on a regular basis

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• Armagh Observatory
• Astronomical Observatory in Belgrade
• Astronomical Observatory of the Kharkiv State
  University
• DLR - Asteroid Research Team
• CNR - Institute for Space Astrophysics -
  Planetology Group
• Klet Observatory
• DESPA - Departement de Recherche Spatiale - Small
  Bodies Group
• OCA - Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur
• Ondrejov Observatory
• Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino
• Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
• Poznan Observatory
• Queen Mary and Westfield College - Solar System
  Dynamics Group
• Queen's University of Belfast - Astrophysics and
  Planetary Science Division
• University of Pisa - Space Mechanics Group
• Uppsala Astronomical Observatory - The Planetary
  System Group
• Observatory - University of Helsinki

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References

• http//cfa-www.harvard.edu/marsden/SGF/
• http//www.klet.org/
• http//earn.dlr.de/euneaso.htm
• www.iau.org/IAU
• http//web.mit.edu/rpb/wgneo