DOCSLIB.ORG

Title: a Lunar Trojan Asteroid Survey Abstract: the Near-Earth Asteroid

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Title: a Lunar Trojan Asteroid Survey Abstract: the Near-Earth Asteroid Title: A Lunar Trojan Asteroid Survey Abstract: The Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) population is important to study as asteroids are the leftover remnants from the early era of the Solar System, and can therefore provide clues about the early days of Earth no longer present on the planet due to geological processes. This population is also important to know and understand on a planetary defense perspective, as a collision with an asteroid could be catastrophic to civilization on Earth. This project focuses on surveying the sky for a specific type of NEA that could be a great potential for further scientific research. We are surveying along the Moon's orbit for asteroids that are co-orbital with the Moon. These would be referred to as Lunar Trojans, and no asteroid of this type has been discovered to date. The last survey dedicated to these types of asteroids was conducted 38 years ago (Valdes & Freitas Jr., 1983) and no candidates were found. A study by Lissauer and Chambers (2008), found with numerical integration's, orbits $\pm 60^{\circ}$ from the Moon (Earth–Moon L4 and L5 Lagrange points respectively), can survive for several million years, even when solar and planetary perturbations are included. Through previous work of Dr. Paul Wiegert and I, it was determined that smaller more accessible telescopes on the iTelescope network can be remotely used to significantly contribute to sky surveys. This project uses these telescopes to conduct a routine survey in search of Lunar Trojan asteroids. While searching for Lunar Trojans, the survey will also be sensitive to other fast- moving objects, allowing for the possibility of observing Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). If any object is seen that is not documented, information will be submitted to the Minor Planet Center. This project has already demonstrated its effectiveness at NEA discovery by the detection of asteroid ALA2xH. This 50- 100 meter asteroid was discovered on November $18^{th}$, 2020, during our process of surveying the Moon's orbit for Lunar trojans. .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Discovery of Earth's Quasi-Satellite
    Meteoritics & Planetary Science 39, Nr 8, 1251–1255 (2004) Abstract available online at http://meteoritics.org Discovery of Earth’s quasi-satellite Martin CONNORS,1* Christian VEILLET,2 Ramon BRASSER,3 Paul WIEGERT,4 Paul CHODAS,5 Seppo MIKKOLA,6 and Kimmo INNANEN3 1Athabasca University, Athabasca AB, Canada T9S 3A3 2Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, P. O. Box 1597, Kamuela, Hawaii 96743, USA 3Department of Physics and Astronomy, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 Canada 4Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada 5Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA 6Turku University Observatory, Tuorla, FIN-21500 Piikkiö, Finland *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] (Received 18 February 2004; revision accepted 12 July 2004) Abstract–The newly discovered asteroid 2003 YN107 is currently a quasi-satellite of the Earth, making a satellite-like orbit of high inclination with apparent period of one year. The term quasi- satellite is used since these large orbits are not completely closed, but rather perturbed portions of the asteroid’s orbit around the Sun. Due to its extremely Earth-like orbit, this asteroid is influenced by Earth’s gravity to remain within 0.1 AU of the Earth for approximately 10 years (1997 to 2006). Prior to this, it had been on a horseshoe orbit closely following Earth’s orbit for several hundred years. It will re-enter such an orbit, and make one final libration of 123 years, after which it will have a close interaction with the Earth and transition to a circulating orbit.
    [Show full text]
  • Earth Trojan Asteroids: a Study in Support of Observational Searches
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by CERN Document Server –1– Earth Trojan Asteroids: A study in support of observational searches Paul Wiegert and Kimmo Innanen Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3 Canada and CITA, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H8 Canada and Seppo Mikkola Tuorla Observatory, University of Turku, 21500 Piikki¨o, Finland ABSTRACT Observational searches for asteroids orbiting near Earth’s triangular Lagrange points face unique obstacles. A population of such asteroids would occupy a large projected area on the sky (possibly hundreds of square degrees) and is not favorably placed with respect to the Sun. Here we examine the properties of synthetic populations of Earth “Trojans” in order to aid in the optimization of observational searches for them. We find that the highest on-sky projected number densities are not located at the positions of the L4 and L5 points themselves, but rather a few degrees closer to the Sun. Also, asteroids on orbits about the L4 and L5 points typically brighten as the difference between their ecliptic longitude and that of the Sun increases owing to phase effects, but their number density on the sky concurrently falls rapidly. Subject headings: Asteroid, dynamics — Earth 1. Introduction General analytical solutions to the gravitational three-body problem do not exist; however, certain special solutions do. Perhaps the best known is the classical work of J.L. Lagrange. Given a primary M with a secondary m M in a circular orbit around it, he deduced that there were five points in the system at which a massless particle could, in a frame corotating with the secondary, remain stationary indefinitely.
    [Show full text]
  • Earth Trojan Asteroids: a Study in Support of Observational Searches
    –1– Earth Trojan Asteroids: A study in support of observational searches Paul Wiegert and Kimmo Innanen Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3 Canada and CITA, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H8 Canada and Seppo Mikkola Tuorla Observatory, University of Turku, 21500 Piikki¨o, Finland ABSTRACT Observational searches for asteroids orbiting near Earth’s triangular Lagrange points face unique obstacles. A population of such asteroids would occupy a large projected area on the sky (possibly hundreds of square degrees) and is not favorably placed with respect to the Sun. Here we examine the properties of synthetic populations of Earth “Trojans” in order to aid in the optimization of observational searches for them. We find that the highest on-sky projected number densities are not located at the positions of the L4 and L5 points themselves, but rather a few degrees closer to the Sun. Also, asteroids on orbits about the L4 and L5 points typically brighten as the difference between their ecliptic longitude and that of the Sun increases owing to phase effects, but their number density on the sky concurrently falls rapidly. arXiv:astro-ph/9912254v1 13 Dec 1999 Subject headings: Asteroid, dynamics — Earth 1. Introduction General analytical solutions to the gravitational three-body problem do not exist; however, certain special solutions do. Perhaps the best known is the classical work of J.L. Lagrange. Given a primary M with a secondary m ≪ M in a circular orbit around it, he deduced that there were five points in the system at which a massless particle could, in a frame corotating with the secondary, remain stationary indefinitely.
    [Show full text]
  • A Survey of Orbits of Co-Orbitals of Jupiter
    A Survey of Orbits of Co-orbitals of Jupiter by R. Greg Stacey Athabasca University and University of Alberta and Martin Connors Athabasca University Abstract: Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids fulfill the prediction of Lagrange that orbits can be stable when a small body orbits in specific locations relative to its ‘parent’ planet and the Sun. The first such Trojan asteroid was discovered in 1906 and subsequently similar asteroids have been discovered associated with Mars and with Neptune. To date no Trojans have been discovered associated with Earth, but several horseshoe asteroids, co- orbital asteroids moving along a large range of the Earth’s orbit, have been found. Other planets also are not known to have Trojan-type asteroids associated with them. Since the number of detected Jupiter Trojans has increased dramatically in the last few years, we have conducted a numerical survey of their orbital motions to see whether any in fact move in horseshoe orbits. We find that none do, although there is some possibility that escaped Trojans have been detected. Here we also use the enlarged database of information about Trojans to summarize their orbital properties as now known. Résumé: Les astéroïdes Troïens de Jupiter vérifient la prevision de Lagrange que des orbites stables sont possibles lorsqu’un objet de petite masse fait son orbite dans certains endroits par rapport à une planète associée et au soleil. Le premier de ce type d’astéroïde fut découvert en 1906 et ensuite de tels astéroïdes ont été découverts associés à Mars et à Neptune. Jusqu’au present il n’y a pas d’analogue des Troïens associé à la terre, mais plusieurs astéroïdes avec des orbites en ‘fer de cheval’, qui se déplacent le long de l’orbite de la terre, ont été trouvés.
    [Show full text]
  • A Centenary Survey of Orbits of Co-Orbitals of Jupiter
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Athabasca University Library Institutional Repository 1 A Centenary Survey of Orbits of Co-orbitals of Jupiter 2 3 by R. Greg Stacey 4 Athabasca University and University of Alberta 5 and 6 Martin Connors 7 Athabasca University 8 9 Abstract: Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids fulfill the prediction of Lagrange that orbits can be 10 stable when a small body orbits in specific locations relative to its ‘parent’ planet and the 11 Sun. The first such Trojan asteroid was discovered slightly over one hundred years ago, 12 in 1906, and subsequently similar asteroids have been discovered associated with Mars 13 and with Neptune. To date no Trojans have been discovered associated with Earth, but 14 several horseshoe asteroids, co-orbital asteroids moving along a large range of the Earth’s 15 orbit, have been found. Other planets also are not known to have Trojan-type asteroids 16 associated with them. Since the number of detected Jupiter Trojans has increased 17 dramatically in the last few years, we have conducted a numerical survey of their orbital 18 motions to see whether any in fact move in horseshoe orbits. We find that none do, but 19 we use the enlarged database of information about Trojans to summarize their properties 20 as now known, and compare these to results of theory. 21 22 1 23 1. INTRODUCTION 24 25 Since the first Jupiter Trojan was found in 1906, many other similar objects, following or 26 preceding Jupiter along its orbit, have been discovered.
    [Show full text]
  • Aging Comets and Their Meteor Showers
    Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 7-28-2016 12:00 AM Aging comets and their meteor showers Quanzhi Ye The University of Western Ontario Supervisor Peter Brown The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in Astronomy A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree in Doctor of Philosophy © Quanzhi Ye 2016 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the The Sun and the Solar System Commons Recommended Citation Ye, Quanzhi, "Aging comets and their meteor showers" (2016). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 3903. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/3903 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract Comets are thought to be responsible for the terrestrial accretion of water and organic mate- rials. Comets evolve very quickly, and will generally deplete their volatiles in a few hundred revolutions. This process, or the aging of comets, is one of the most critical yet poorly un- derstood problems in planetary astronomy. The goal of this thesis is to better understand this problem by examining different parts of the cometary aging spectrum of Jupiter-family comets (JFCs), a group of comets that dominates the cometary influx in the near-Earth space, using both telescopic and meteor observations. We examine two representative JFCs and the population of dormant comets. At the younger end of the aging spectrum, we examine a moderately active JFC, 15P/Finlay, and review the puzzle of the non-detection of the associated Finlayid meteor shower.
    [Show full text]