Project Pan-STARRS and the Outer Solar System
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KAREN J. MEECH February 7, 2019 Astronomer
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH – KAREN J. MEECH February 7, 2019 Astronomer Institute for Astronomy Tel: 1-808-956-6828 2680 Woodlawn Drive Fax: 1-808-956-4532 Honolulu, HI 96822-1839 [email protected] PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION Rice University Space Physics B.A. 1981 Massachusetts Institute of Tech. Planetary Astronomy Ph.D. 1987 APPOINTMENTS 2018 – present Graduate Chair 2000 – present Astronomer, Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii 1992-2000 Associate Astronomer, Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii 1987-1992 Assistant Astronomer, Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii 1982-1987 Graduate Research & Teaching Assistant, Massachusetts Inst. Tech. 1981-1982 Research Specialist, AAVSO and Massachusetts Institute of Technology AWARDS 2018 ARCs Scientist of the Year 2015 University of Hawai’i Regent’s Medal for Research Excellence 2013 Director’s Research Excellence Award 2011 NASA Group Achievement Award for the EPOXI Project Team 2011 NASA Group Achievement Award for EPOXI & Stardust-NExT Missions 2009 William Tylor Olcott Distinguished Service Award of the American Association of Variable Star Observers 2006-8 National Academy of Science/Kavli Foundation Fellow 2005 NASA Group Achievement Award for the Stardust Flight Team 1996 Asteroid 4367 named Meech 1994 American Astronomical Society / DPS Harold C. Urey Prize 1988 Annie Jump Cannon Award 1981 Heaps Physics Prize RESEARCH FIELD AND ACTIVITIES • Developed a Discovery mission concept to explore the origin of Earth’s water. • Co-Investigator on the Deep Impact, Stardust-NeXT and EPOXI missions, leading the Earth-based observing campaigns for all three. • Leads the UH Astrobiology Research interdisciplinary program, overseeing ~30 postdocs and coordinating the research with ~20 local faculty and international partners. -
Spacewalch Discovery of Near-Earth Asteroids Tom Gehrele Lunar End
N9 Spacewalch Discovery of Near-Earth Asteroids Tom Gehrele Lunar end Planetary Laboratory The University of Arizona Our overall scientific goal is to survey the solar system to completion -- that is, to find the various populations and to study their statistics, interrelations, and origins. The practical benefit to SERC is that we are finding Earth-approaching asteroids that are accessible for mining. Our system can detect Earth-approachers In the 1-km size range even when they are far away, and can detect smaller objects when they are moving rapidly past Earth. Until Spacewatch, the size range of 6 - 300 meters in diameter for the near-Earth asteroids was unexplored. This important region represents the transition between the meteorites and the larger observed near-Earth asteroids (Rabinowitz 1992). One of our Spacewatch discoveries, 1991 VG, may be representative of a new orbital class of object. If it is really a natural object, and not man-made, its orbital parameters are closer to those of the Earth than we have seen before; its delta V is the lowest of all objects known thus far (J. S. Lewis, personal communication 1992). We may expect new discoveries as we continue our surveying, with fine-tuning of the techniques. III-12 Introduction The data accumulated in the following tables are the result of continuing observation conducted as a part of the Spacewatch program. T. Gehrels is the Principal Investigator and also one of the three observers, with J.V. Scotti and D.L Rabinowitz, each observing six nights per month. R.S. McMillan has been Co-Principal Investigator of our CCD-scanning since its inception; he coordinates optical, mechanical, and electronic upgrades. -
The Catalina Sky Survey
The Catalina Sky Survey Current Operaons and Future CapabiliKes Eric J. Christensen A. Boani, A. R. Gibbs, A. D. Grauer, R. E. Hill, J. A. Johnson, R. A. Kowalski, S. M. Larson, F. C. Shelly IAWN Steering CommiJee MeeKng. MPC, Boston, MA. Jan. 13-14 2014 Catalina Sky Survey • Supported by NASA NEOO Program • Based at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in Tucson, Arizona • Leader of the NEO discovery effort since 2004, responsible for ~65% of new discoveries (~46% of all NEO discoveries). Currently discovering NEOs at a rate of ~600/year. • 2 survey telescopes run by a staff of 8 (observers, socware developers, engineering support, PI) Current FaciliKes Mt. Bigelow, AZ Mt. Lemmon, AZ 0.7-m Schmidt 1.5-m reflector 8.2 sq. deg. FOV 1.2 sq. deg. FOV Vlim ~ 19.5 Vlim ~ 21.3 ~250 NEOs/year ~350 NEOs/year ReKred FaciliKes Siding Spring Observatory, Australia 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt 4.2 sq. deg. FOV Vlim ~ 19.0 2004 – 2013 ~50 NEOs/year Was the only full-Kme NEO survey located in the Southern Hemisphere Notable discoveries include Great Comet McNaught (C/2006 P1), rediscovery of Apophis Upcoming FaciliKes Mt. Lemmon, AZ 1.0-m reflector 0.3 sq. deg. FOV 1.0 arcsec/pixel Operaonal 2014 – currently in commissioning Will be primarily used for confirmaon and follow-up of newly- discovered NEOs Will remove follow-up burden from CSS survey telescopes, increasing available survey Kme by 10-20% Increased FOV for both CSS survey telescopes 5.0 deg2 1.2 ~1,100/ G96 deg2 night 19.4 deg2 2 703 8.2 deg 2 ~4,300 deg per night New 10k x 10k cameras will increase the FOV of both survey telescopes by factors of 4x and 2.4x. -
Comet Section Observing Guide
Comet Section Observing Guide 1 The British Astronomical Association Comet Section www.britastro.org/comet BAA Comet Section Observing Guide Front cover image: C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) by Geoffrey Johnstone on 1997 April 10. Back cover image: C/2011 W3 (Lovejoy) by Lester Barnes on 2011 December 23. © The British Astronomical Association 2018 2018 December (rev 4) 2 CONTENTS 1 Foreword .................................................................................................................................. 6 2 An introduction to comets ......................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Anatomy and origins ............................................................................................................................ 7 2.2 Naming .............................................................................................................................................. 12 2.3 Comet orbits ...................................................................................................................................... 13 2.4 Orbit evolution .................................................................................................................................... 15 2.5 Magnitudes ........................................................................................................................................ 18 3 Basic visual observation ........................................................................................................ -
The Comet's Tale
THE COMET’S TALE Newsletter of the Comet Section of the British Astronomical Association Volume 5, No 1 (Issue 9), 1998 May A May Day in February! Comet Section Meeting, Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, 1998 February 14 The day started early for me, or attention and there were displays to correct Guide Star magnitudes perhaps I should say the previous of the latest comet light curves in the same field. If you haven’t day finished late as I was up till and photographs of comet Hale- got access to this catalogue then nearly 3am. This wasn’t because Bopp taken by Michael Hendrie you can always give a field sketch the sky was clear or a Valentine’s and Glynn Marsh. showing the stars you have used Ball, but because I’d been reffing in the magnitude estimate and I an ice hockey match at The formal session started after will make the reduction. From Peterborough! Despite this I was lunch, and I opened the talks with these magnitude estimates I can at the IOA to welcome the first some comments on visual build up a light curve which arrivals and to get things set up observation. Detailed instructions shows the variation in activity for the day, which was more are given in the Section guide, so between different comets. Hale- reminiscent of May than here I concentrated on what is Bopp has demonstrated that February. The University now done with the observations and comets can stray up to a offers an undergraduate why it is important to be accurate magnitude from the mean curve, astronomy course and lectures are and objective when making them. -
An Early Warning System for Asteroid Impact
An Early Warning System for Asteroid Impact John L. Tonry(1) ABSTRACT Earth is bombarded by meteors, occasionally by one large enough to cause a significant explosion and possible loss of life. It is not possible to detect all hazardous asteroids, and the efforts to detect them years before they strike are only advancing slowly. Similarly, ideas for mitigation of the danger from an impact by moving the asteroid are in their infancy. Although the odds of a deadly asteroid strike in the next century are low, the most likely impact is by a relatively small asteroid, and we suggest that the best mitigation strategy in the near term is simply to move people out of the way. With enough warning, a small asteroid impact should not cause loss of life, and even portable property might be preserved. We describe an \early warning" system that could provide a week's notice of most sizeable asteroids or comets on track to hit the Earth. This may be all the mitigation needed or desired for small asteroids, and it can be implemented immediately for relatively low cost. This system, dubbed \Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System" (AT- LAS), comprises two observatories separated by about 100 km that simulta- neously scan the visible sky twice a night. Software automatically registers a comparison with the unchanging sky and identifies everything which has moved or changed. Communications between the observatories lock down the orbits of anything approaching the Earth, within one night if its arrival is less than a week. The sensitivity of the system permits detection of 140 m asteroids (100 Mton impact energy) three weeks before impact, and 50 m asteroids a week be- fore arrival. -
Neofixer a Broker for Near Earth Asteroid Follow-Up Rob Seaman & Eric Christensen Catalina Sky Survey
NEOFIXER A BROKER FOR NEAR EARTH ASTEROID FOLLOW-UP ROB SEAMAN & ERIC CHRISTENSEN CATALINA SKY SURVEY Building the Infrastructure for Time-Domain Alert Science in the LSST Era • May 22-25, 2017 • Tucson CATALINA SKY SURVEY • LPL runs 2 NEO projects, CSS and SpacewatcH • Talk to Eric or me about CSS, Bob McMillan for SW • CSS demo at 3:30 pm CONGRESSIONAL MANDATE • Spaceguard goal: 1 km Near EartH Objects ✔ • George E Brown Act to find > 140m (H < 22) NEOs • 90% complete by 2020 ✘ (2017: ~ 30%) • ROSES 2017 language is > 100m • Chelyabinsk was ~20m (H ~ 25.8) or ~400 kiloton (few per century likeliHood) SUMMARY • Near EartH Asteroid inventory is “retail Big Data” • NEOfixer will be NEO-optimized targeting broker • No one broker will address all use cases • Will benefit LSST as well as current surveys • LSST not tasked to study NEOs, but ratHer tHe Solar System (slower objects and fartHer away) • What is tHe most valuable NEO observation a particular telescope can make at a particular time? CHESLEY & VERES (1705.06209) • 55 ± 5.0% for LSST baseline operating alone • But 42% of NEOs witH H < 22 will be discovered before 2022 • And witHout LSST, current surveys would discover 61% of the catalog by 2032 • Completion CH<22 will be 77% combined LSST will add 16% to CH<22 Can targeted follow-up increase this? CHESLEY & VERES (CAVEATS) • Lots of details worth reading • CH<22 degrades by ~1.8% for every 0.1 mag loss in sensitivity • Issues of linking efficiency including: • Efficiency down to H < 25 is lower • 4% false MBA-MBA links ASTROMETRIC -
Isotopic Ratios in Outbursting Comet C/2015 ER61
Astronomy & Astrophysics manuscript no. draft_Dec_07 c ESO 2018 September 10, 2018 Isotopic ratios in outbursting comet C/2015 ER61 Bin Yang1; 2, Damien Hutsemékers3, Yoshiharu Shinnaka4, Cyrielle Opitom1, Jean Manfroid3, Emmanuël Jehin3, Karen J. Meech5, Olivier R. Hainaut1, Jacqueline V. Keane5, and Michaël Gillon3 (Affiliations can be found after the references) September 10, 2018 ABSTRACT Isotopic ratios in comets are critical to understanding the origin of cometary material and the physical and chemical conditions in the early solar nebula. Comet C/2015 ER61 (PANSTARRS) underwent an outburst with a total brightness increase of 2 magnitudes on the night of 2017 April 4. The sharp increase in brightness offered a rare opportunity to measure the isotopic ratios of the light elements in the coma of this comet. We obtained two high-resolution spectra of C/2015 ER61 with UVES/VLT on the nights of 2017 April 13 and 17. At the time of our observations, the comet was fading gradually following the outburst. We measured the nitrogen and carbon isotopic ratios from the CN violet (0,0) band and found that 12C/13C=100 ± 15, 14N/15N=130 ± 15. 14 15 14 15 In addition, we determined the N/ N ratio from four pairs of NH2 isotopolog lines and measured N/ N=140 ± 28. The measured isotopic ratios of C/2015 ER61 do not deviate significantly from those of other comets. Key words. comets: general - comets: individual (C/2015 ER61) - methods: observational 1. Introduction Understanding how planetary systems form from proto- planetary disks remains one of the great challenges in as- tronomy. -
AAS/DPS Poster (PDF)
Spacewatch Observations of Asteroids and Comets with Emphasis on Discoveries by WISE AAS/DPS Poster 13.22 Thurs. 2010 Oct 7: 15:30-18:00 Robert S. McMillan1, T. H. Bressi1, J. A. Larsen2, C. K. Maleszewski1,J. L. Montani1, and J. V. Scotti1 URL: http://spacewatch.lpl.arizona.edu 1University of Arizona; 2U.S. Naval Academy Abstract • Targeted recoveries of objects discovered by WISE as well as those on impact risk pages, NEO Confirmation Page, PHAs, comets, etc. • ~1900 tracklets of NEOs from Spacewatch each year. • Recoveries of WISE discoveries preserve objects w/ long Psyn from loss. • Photometry to determine albedo @ wavelength of peak of incident solar flux. • Specialize in fainter objects to V=23. • Examination for cometary features of objects w/ comet-like orbits & objects that WISE IR imagery showed as comets. Why Targeted Followup is Needed • Discovery arcs too short to define orbits. • Objects can escape redetection by surveys: – Surveys busy covering other sky (revisits too infrequent). – Objects tend to get fainter after discovery. • Followup observations need to outnumber discoveries 10-100. • Sky density of detectable NEOs too sparse to rely on incidental redetections alone. Why Followup is Needed (cont’d) • 40% of PHAs observed on only 1 opposition. • 18% of PHAs’ arcs <30d; 7 PHAs obs. < 3d. • 20% of potential close approaches will be by objects observed on only 1 opposition. • 1/3rd of H≤22 VI’s on JPL risk page are lost and half of those were discovered within last 3 years. How “lost” can they get? • (719) Albert discovered visually in 1911. • “Big” Amor asteroid, diameter ~2 km. -
Guide User Manual (PDF)
CONTENTS 1: 2 Installing Guide 2: 2 Getting Help 3: 3 What Guide is showing you 4: 4 Panning and zooming 5: 5 Finding objects 5a: 8 Finding stars 5b: 10 Finding galaxies 5c: 12 Finding nebulae 5d: 12 Entering coordinates 6: 13 Getting information about objects 6a: 15 Measuring angular distances on the screen 6b: 15 Quick info 7: 16 The Display menu 7a: 17 The Star Display menu 7b: 19 The Data Shown menu 7c: 21 Planet display 7d: 23 The Camera Frame menu 7e: 24 The Legend Menu 7f: 26 Measurement markings (grids, ticks, etc.) 7g: 28 Backgrounds dialog 8: 29 Changing settings 8a: 34 Location dialog 8b: 35 Inversion dialog 9: 36 Overlays menu 10: 38 User Object menu 11: 39 Telescope control 12: 42 DOS Printer setup and printing 13: 43 PostScript charts 14: 44 The time dialog 15: 46 Planetary animation and ephemeris generation 16: 50 Tables menu 17: 52 Extras menu 17a: 54 DSS/RealSky Images 17b: 56 Downloading star data from the Internet 17c: 58 Installing to the hard drive 17d: 59 Asteroid options 18: 62 Eclipses, occultations, transits 19: 63 Saving and going to marks 20: 64 User-added (.TDF) datasets 21: 65 Adding your own notes for objects 22: 66 About Guide's data 23: 67 Accessing Guide's data from your own programs 24: 68 Acknowledgments Appendices: A: 70 RA and Declination Explained B: 70 Precession and Epochs Explained C: 71 Altitude and Azimuth (Alt/Az) Explained D: 72 Troubleshooting Positions 1 E: 73 Notes on Accuracy F: 73 Adding New Comets G: 75 Astronomical Magnitudes H: 75 Copyright and Liability Notices I: 77 List of Program-Wide Hotkeys Index 79 Questions and bug reports should be sent to: Project Pluto 168 Ridge Road Bowdoinham ME 04008 Fax (207) 666 3149 Tel (207) 666 5750 Tel (800) 777 5886 E-mail: [email protected] WWW: http://www.projectpluto.com 1: HOW TO INSTALL GUIDE To install Guide, put the Guide DVD into the DVD drive. -
Physical Characterization of NEA Large Super-Fast Rotator (436724) 2011 UW158
EPJ manuscript No. (will be inserted by the editor) Physical characterization of NEA Large Super-Fast Rotator (436724) 2011 UW158 A. Carbognani1, B. L. Gary2, J. Oey3, G. Baj4, and P. Bacci5 1 Astronomical Observatory of the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley (OAVdA), Aosta - Italy 2 Hereford Arizona Observatory (Hereford, Cochise - U.S.A.) 3 Blue Mountains Observatory (Leura, Sydney - Australia) 4 Astronomical Station of Monteviasco (Monteviasco, Varese - Italy) 5 Astronomical Observatory of San Marcello Pistoiese (San Marcello Pistoiese, Pistoia - Italy) Received: date / Revised version: date Abstract. Asteroids of size larger than 0.15 km generally do not have periods smaller than 2.2 hours, a limit known as cohesionless spin-barrier. This barrier can be explained by the cohesionless rubble-pile structure model. There are few exceptions to this “rule”, called LSFRs (Large Super-Fast Rotators), as (455213) 2001 OE84, (335433) 2005 UW163 and 2011 XA3. The near-Earth asteroid (436724) 2011 UW158 was followed by an international team of optical and radar observers in 2015 during the flyby with Earth. It was discovered that this NEA is a new candidate LSFR. With the collected lightcurves from optical observations we are able to obtain the amplitude-phase relationship, sideral rotation period (PS = 0.610752 ± 0.000001 ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ h), a unique spin axis solution with ecliptic coordinates λ = 290 ± 3 , β = 39 ± 2 and the asteroid 3D model. This model is in qualitative agreement with the results from radar observations. PACS. PACS-key discribing text of that key – PACS-key discribing text of that key 1 Introduction The near-Earth asteroid (436724) 2011 UW158 was discovered on 2011 Oct 25 by the Pan-STARRS 1 Observatory at Haleakala (Hawaii, USA). -
Ice & Stone 2020
Ice & Stone 2020 WEEK 17: APRIL 19-25, 2020 Presented by The Earthrise Institute # 17 Authored by Alan Hale This week in history APRIL 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 APRIL 20, 1910: Comet 1P/Halley passes through perihelion at a heliocentric distance of 0.587 AU. Halley’s 1910 return, which is described in a previous “Special Topics” presentation, was quite favorable, with a close approach to Earth (0.15 AU) and the exhibiting of the longest cometary tail ever recorded. APRIL 20, 2025: NASA’s Lucy mission is scheduled to pass by the main belt asteroid (52246) Donaldjohanson. Lucy is discussed in a previous “Special Topics” presentation. APRIL 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 APRIL 21, 2024: Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is predicted to pass through perihelion at a heliocentric distance of 0.781 AU. This comet, with a discussion of its viewing prospects for 2024, is a previous “Comet of the Week.” APRIL 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 APRIL 22, 2020: The annual Lyrid meteor shower should be at its peak. Normally this shower is fairly weak, with a peak rate of not much more than 10 meteors per hour, but has been known to exhibit significantly stronger activity on occasion. The moon is at its “new” phase on April 23 this year and thus the viewing circumstances are very good. COVER IMAGE CREDIT: Front and back cover: This artist’s conception shows how families of asteroids are created. Over the history of our solar system, catastrophic collisions between asteroids located in the belt between Mars and Jupiter have formed families of objects on similar orbits around the sun.