Spacewatch: Difference between revisions
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The '''Spacewatch''' Project is an [[astronomical survey]] that specializes in the study of [[minor planet]]s, including various types of [[asteroid]]s and [[comet]]s at [[University of Arizona]] telescopes on [[Kitt Peak]] near [[Tucson, Arizona]]. The Spacewatch Project has been active longer than any other similar currently active programs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Robert |date=2001 |title=The Spacewatch Project |url=https://space.nss.org/wp-content/uploads/Space-Manufacturing-conference-13-239-The-Spacewatch-Project.pdf |access-date=6 June 2022 |website=National Space Society}}</ref> | The '''Spacewatch''' Project is an [[astronomical survey]] that specializes in the study of [[minor planet]]s, including various types of [[asteroid]]s and [[comet]]s at [[University of Arizona]] telescopes on [[Kitt Peak]] near [[Tucson, Arizona]]. The Spacewatch Project has been active longer than any other similar currently active programs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Robert |date=2001 |title=The Spacewatch Project |url=https://space.nss.org/wp-content/uploads/Space-Manufacturing-conference-13-239-The-Spacewatch-Project.pdf |access-date=6 June 2022 |website=National Space Society}}</ref> | ||
Spacewatch was founded in 1980 by [[Tom Gehrels]] and [[Robert S. McMillan (astronomer)|Robert S. McMillan]], and is currently led by astronomer Melissa Brucker at the [[University of Arizona]]. Spacewatch uses | Spacewatch was founded in 1980 by [[Tom Gehrels]] and [[Robert S. McMillan (astronomer)|Robert S. McMillan]], and is currently led by astronomer Melissa Brucker at the [[University of Arizona]]. Spacewatch uses three telescopes of apertures 0.9-m, 1.8-m, and 2.3-m. These telescopes are located on [[Kitt Peak]], with the first two dedicated to the purpose of locating [[Near-Earth object|Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://spacewatch.lpl.arizona.edu/ |title=The Spacewatch Project |publisher=University of Arizona |year=2010}}</ref><ref name="McMillan et al 2015">{{cite journal |last1=McMillan |first1=Robert S. |last2=Larsen |first2=Jeffrey A. |last3=Bressi |first3=Terrence H. |last4=Scotti |first4=James V. |last5=Mastaler |first5=Ronald A. |last6=Tubbiolo |first6=Andrew F. |title=Spacewatch Astrometry and Photometry of Near-Earth Objects |journal=Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union |date=August 2015 |volume=10 |issue=S318 |pages=317–318 |doi=10.1017/S1743921315006766 |s2cid=125071840 |doi-access=free }}</ref> | ||
The 36 inch (0.9 meter) telescope on [[Kitt Peak]] has been in use by Spacewatch since 1984, and since 2000 the 72 inch (1.8 meter) Spacewatch telescope.<ref name=ScienceDaily2018>{{cite news |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/10/001010072508.htm |title=Spacewatch telescope detects its first asteroids |website=ScienceDaily |access-date=2018-11-18 |language=en |df=dmy-all}}</ref> | The 36 inch (0.9 meter) telescope on [[Kitt Peak]] has been in use by Spacewatch since 1984, and since 2000 the 72 inch (1.8 meter) Spacewatch telescope.<ref name=ScienceDaily2018>{{cite news |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/10/001010072508.htm |title=Spacewatch telescope detects its first asteroids |website=ScienceDaily |access-date=2018-11-18 |language=en |df=dmy-all}}</ref> | ||
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The Spacewatch Project is the longest-running of all present programs of astrometry of solar system objects, and was the first to use [[Charge-coupled device|CCD]]s to survey the sky for comets and asteroids.<ref name="McMillan et al 2015" /> | The Spacewatch Project is the longest-running of all present programs of astrometry of solar system objects, and was the first to use [[Charge-coupled device|CCD]]s to survey the sky for comets and asteroids.<ref name="McMillan et al 2015" /> | ||
== Spacewatch in | == Spacewatch in action == | ||
Spacewatch conducted a survey that was proposed May 12, 2006, and accepted on November 13, 2006. This survey used data taken over 34 months by the [[University of Arizona]]’s Spacewatch Project based at [[Steward Observatory]], Kitt Peak. Spacewatch revisited the same sky area every three to seven nights in order to track cohorts of main-belt asteroids. This survey discovered one new large [[Kuiper Belt]] Object (KBO) and detected six others. This proved that new sweeps of the sky are productive even if they have been previously examined simply due to the complexities of running large surveys over many nights and variable conditions.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Larsen |first1=Jeffrey A. |last2=Roe |first2=Eric S. |last3=Albert |first3=C. Elise |last4=Descour |first4=Anne S. |last5=McMillan |first5=Robert S. |last6=Gleason |first6=Arianna E. |last7=Jedicke |first7=Robert |last8=Block |first8=Miwa |last9=Bressi |first9=Terrence H. |last10=Cochran |first10=Kim C. |last11=Gehrels |first11=Tom |last12=Montani |first12=Joseph L. |last13=Perry |first13=Marcus L. |last14=Read |first14=Michael T. |last15=Scotti |first15=James V. |last16=Tubbiolo |first16=Andrew F. |title=The Search for Distant Objects in the Solar System Using Spacewatch |journal=The Astronomical Journal |date=1 April 2007 |volume=133 |issue=4 |pages=1247–1270 |doi=10.1086/511155 |bibcode=2007AJ....133.1247L |s2cid=29114253 }}</ref> | Spacewatch conducted a survey that was proposed May 12, 2006, and accepted on November 13, 2006. This survey used data taken over 34 months by the [[University of Arizona]]’s Spacewatch Project based at [[Steward Observatory]], Kitt Peak. Spacewatch revisited the same sky area every three to seven nights in order to track cohorts of main-belt asteroids. This survey discovered one new large [[Kuiper Belt]] Object (KBO) and detected six others. This proved that new sweeps of the sky are productive even if they have been previously examined simply due to the complexities of running large surveys over many nights and variable conditions.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Larsen |first1=Jeffrey A. |last2=Roe |first2=Eric S. |last3=Albert |first3=C. Elise |last4=Descour |first4=Anne S. |last5=McMillan |first5=Robert S. |last6=Gleason |first6=Arianna E. |author6-link=Arianna Gleason|last7=Jedicke |first7=Robert |last8=Block |first8=Miwa |last9=Bressi |first9=Terrence H. |last10=Cochran |first10=Kim C. |last11=Gehrels |first11=Tom |last12=Montani |first12=Joseph L. |last13=Perry |first13=Marcus L. |last14=Read |first14=Michael T. |last15=Scotti |first15=James V. |last16=Tubbiolo |first16=Andrew F. |title=The Search for Distant Objects in the Solar System Using Spacewatch |journal=The Astronomical Journal |date=1 April 2007 |volume=133 |issue=4 |pages=1247–1270 |doi=10.1086/511155 |bibcode=2007AJ....133.1247L |s2cid=29114253 }}</ref> | ||
== Notable discoveries == | == Notable discoveries == | ||
Latest revision as of 23:14, 25 October 2025
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| see Category:Discoveries by the Spacewatch project |
The Spacewatch Project is an astronomical survey that specializes in the study of minor planets, including various types of asteroids and comets at University of Arizona telescopes on Kitt Peak near Tucson, Arizona. The Spacewatch Project has been active longer than any other similar currently active programs.[2]
Spacewatch was founded in 1980 by Tom Gehrels and Robert S. McMillan, and is currently led by astronomer Melissa Brucker at the University of Arizona. Spacewatch uses three telescopes of apertures 0.9-m, 1.8-m, and 2.3-m. These telescopes are located on Kitt Peak, with the first two dedicated to the purpose of locating Near-Earth Objects (NEOs).[3][4]
The 36 inch (0.9 meter) telescope on Kitt Peak has been in use by Spacewatch since 1984, and since 2000 the 72 inch (1.8 meter) Spacewatch telescope.[5] Spacewatch's 1.8-meter telescope is the largest in the world that is used exclusively for asteroids and comets.[6] It can find asteroids and comets anywhere from the space near Earth to regions beyond the orbit of Neptune and to do astrometry on the fainter of objects that are already known. The telescope uses a CCD camera at folded prime focus.[7]
The 0.9-meter telescope complements these deep observations using an array of four CCDs to cover a much larger field of view, 2.9 square degrees compared to the ~ 0.1 square degrees of the 1.8-meter.[7]
Each year, Spacewatch observes approximately 35 radar targets, 50 near-Earth objects, and 100 potential spacecraft rendezvous destinations. From 2013 to 2016, Spacewatch observed half of all NEOs and potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs) observed by anyone in that time.[4] since 2022[update]Template:Dated maintenance category (articles)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., Spacewatch had discovered over 179,000 minor planets numbered by the Minor Planet Center.[8]
History
The 1.8 meter Spacewatch telescope and its building on Kitt Peak were dedicated on June 7, 1997 for the purpose of finding previously unknown asteroids and comets.[9] Since January 1 2003, Spacewatch has made ~2400 separate-night detections of Near-Earth Objects.[6]
There was an upgrade to the 0.9 meter which was funded by NASA and the Kirsch Foundation.
The Spacewatch Project is the longest-running of all present programs of astrometry of solar system objects, and was the first to use CCDs to survey the sky for comets and asteroids.[4]
Spacewatch in action
Spacewatch conducted a survey that was proposed May 12, 2006, and accepted on November 13, 2006. This survey used data taken over 34 months by the University of Arizona’s Spacewatch Project based at Steward Observatory, Kitt Peak. Spacewatch revisited the same sky area every three to seven nights in order to track cohorts of main-belt asteroids. This survey discovered one new large Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) and detected six others. This proved that new sweeps of the sky are productive even if they have been previously examined simply due to the complexities of running large surveys over many nights and variable conditions.[10]
Notable discoveries
| #REDIRECT Template:Legend inline #REDIRECT Template:Legend inline #REDIRECT Template:Legend inline #REDIRECT Template:Legend inline | #REDIRECT Template:Legend inline #REDIRECT Template:Legend inline #REDIRECT Template:Legend inline #REDIRECT Template:Legend inline |
- Callirrhoe[11]
- 5145 Pholus[12]
- 9965 GNU[13][14]
- 9885 Linux[15]
- 9882 Stallman[16]
- 9793 Torvalds[17]
- 20000 Varuna[18]
- 60558 Echeclus[19]
- Template:Mpl,[20] target of JAXA's Hayabusa2 extended mission.
- 65803 Didymos,[21] target of the DART mission
- Template:Mpl[22]
- Template:Mpl[23]
- (136617) 1994 CC[24]
- C/1992 J1[25]
- [[C/2011 KP36|Template:Mp]]Template:R
- 125P/Spacewatch[26]
- 174567 Varda[27]
- Template:Mpl[28]
- The project rediscovered 719 Albert, a long-lost asteroid.[29]
See also
References
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