Where Are the Asteroids? The Design of ASTPT and ASTID.
Abstract
This note discusses the design of software to be used for the planning of minor plant planet observations and the identification of a particular asteroid when it is observed at a given time. In each case the large number of cataloged asteroids (approximately 2200) has required that the software be optimal with respect to execution speed. The is accomplished by using an approximate geocentric ecliptic position to eliminate, as quickly (in terms of CPU time) as possible, the minor planet from further consideration. In particular, using the type of analysis applicable to near-stationary artificial satellites, (and carefully quantifying the nature of the approximations) an approximate geocentric ecliptic latitude and longitude are obtained in such a fashion that the computations needed for these are not only minimal but, should the actual location of the minor planet be needed, maximally used there too. The accuracy is (for e < or = 0.3, i < or = 30 deg) 3.9 deg + or - 2.1 deg in geocentric ecliptic longitude and 3.5 deg + or - 1.8 in geocentric ecliptic latitude. With these values we can eliminate approximately half of all asteroids because they will be on that half of the celestial sphere which corresponds to daytime.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 15, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA087422
Entities
People
- Laurence G. Taff
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology