A Search for Low-Luminosity Objects
Abstract
During this grant, the 2048x2O48 Tektronix CCD detector was installed and put into operation on the Spacewatch Telescope at Kitt Peak in Arizona. The CCD was installed in its dewar during the fall of 1988 and tested in January 1989. Scanning for near-Earth asteroids was started in the visual mode awaiting the arrival of the computer system. The first near-Earth asteroid was discovered in the fall of 1989. The Solbourne-Sun computer system was installed and a major effort involved the programming for the computerized discovery of moving objects. The computerized discovery of moving objects was operational in September 1990 and led to the discovery of the asteroid 1990ss. Work has involved the discovery of objects, verification of heliocentric orbit and astrometric determination of orbital parameters. Improvement was made in the observing programs, hardware and software. Refinements were made in the installation of the Guide Star Catalog of the Hubble Space Telescope. Positions can now be determined in real time with an accuracy of about 0.4 arcseconds.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 31, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA253301
Entities
People
- Tom Gehrels
Organizations
- University of Arizona