SPACEWATCH® Milestones, 2000-2010
2009 Dec 14 - present: Collaboration with the WISE Mission: R. S. McMillan is a co-investigator in the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) spacecraft mission, which was launched on 2009 Dec 14.
From 2009 Dec 27 through 2010 Jan 15 McMillan participated in WISE initial checkout operations to help measure the relative alignment of the spacecraft attitude determination and control system with respect to the scientific imaging detectors. The spacecraft checked out well and began detecting asteroids and comets soon after.
SPACEWATCH® will recover and follow interesting solar system objects discovered by WISE. On 2010 Jan 12-15 UT SPACEWATCH® made the first ground-based recoveries of three asteroids discovered by WISE by observing them with the SPACEWATCH® 1.8-meter telescope. Our recoveries made it possible for the Minor Planet Center to designate them W00016c = ts579 = 2010 AX58, W000e2t = ts582 = 2010 BD, and W000prw = ts580 = 2010 AO61, all main belt asteroids. Followup of WISE discoveries will continue throughout the mission and afterwards as conditions permit.
2009 - Several papers and presentations of SPACEWATCH® results, SPACEWATCH® collaborations with the WISE spacecraft mission, and with NEO surveys, have been published.
Haskell, H, and J. Larsen. 2009. "The Size Distribution of the Small Near Earth Asteroids from SPACEWATCH®". AAS Meeting #213, #401.11; poster abstract.
McMillan, R. S., A. K. Mainzer, R. G. Walker, E. L. Wright, P. R. Eisenhardt, R. M. Cutri, T. Grav, and the WISE Science Team. 2009. "NEOWISE: Proposed Discovery of Near-Earth Objects in the Infrared by the WISE Mission". AAS Meeting #213, #459.06.; abstract, and McMillan et. al. 2009 WISE AAS213 poster (PDF).
McMillan, R. S. 2009. "SPACEWATCH® Support of Deep Wide-Field NEO Surveys (PDF)"; White Paper submitted to NRC Committee to Review Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies, and PDF format Powerpoint slide series (PDF) to accompany presentation to the Committee on 2009 April 20.
McMillan, R. S., et al. 2009. Abstract of Talk for 214th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (DOC), 2009 June 9, Presentation No. 217.02, and slides of Talk for 214th Meeting of the AAS (PDF).
2009 June 19: IAU Circular 9053 announces that (136617) 1994 CC, a SPACEWATCH® PHA discovered on 1994 Feb. 3 by Jim Scotti with the 0.9-m telescope, is a triple system, consisting of a 650 m diameter primary, and two satellites of at least 50 m and 100 m diameters. The satellites were discovered with Goldstone and Arecibo planetary radars, and optical photometry by the PROMPT telescopes on 2009 June 3 shows an eclipse/occultation event.
2009 May 26: Large Amor asteroid 2009 KM7 discovered with SPACEWATCH® 0.9-m Mosaic telescope by Jim Scotti, and followed up by Terry Bressi with the SPACEWATCH® 1.8-m telescope. This object, with H magnitude 17.9, is between 0.7 - 1.6 km in diameter.
2009 Jan 2: Recovery of large, highly eccentric, steeply inclined Apollo Asteroid 2000 YJ29 (as 2009 AO), with SPACEWATCH® 0.9-m Mosaic telescope by Jim Scotti. The object, with H magnitude 17.9, is between 0.7 - 1.6 km in diameter.
2008 Sept 4: - Large Amor asteroid 2008 RJ1 discovered with SPACEWATCH® 0.9-m Mosaic telescope. The object is between 0.7 - 1.6 km in diameter.
2008 Jan 30: Unusual object 2008 BN18 discovered with SPACEWATCH® 0.9-m Mosaic telescope. When observable again after emerging from the Sun's glare in 2008 Nov., this object may show itself to be cometary, as hinted at by its eccentric orbit over 0.92, and semi-major axis over 34 AU.
2007 Nov 1: Comet C/2007 VO53 (SPACEWATCH®) discovered with SPACEWATCH® 0.9-m Mosaic telescope, due for perihelion in 2010 (about Apr 27); inclination of the comet's orbit is 87 degrees.
2007 April: Bressi, T. H. 2007. Discovery and Followup of Large Apollo Asteroid 2007 HA59. MPEC H58: 2007 HA59 [a=2.48,e=0.70,i=76.4,H=14.6]
M.P.E.C. 2007-H58 Issued 2007 Apr. 26, 16:09 UT MPEC 2007-H58 : 2007 HA59 .
2006 Dec 27: Conversion of SPACEWATCH® astrometry to the U. S. Naval Observatory's B1.0 reference star catalog has improved astrometric residuals on reference stars from 0.3 to 0.2 arcseconds.
2006 Sept.: Scotti, J. V., and T. H. Bressi. 2006. Discovery and Followup Observations of Large Apollo Asteroid 2006 SP134. MPEC S80: 2006 SP134 [a=2.09,e=0.75,i=13.6,H=16.7] M.P.E.C. 2006-S80 Issued 2006 Sept. 28, 22:06 UT MPEC 2006-S80 : 2006 SP134 .
2006 April 7: Retrograde Outer Solar System Object discovered by SPACEWATCH® 0.9-m Mosaic telescope: a Comet! Bressi, T. H., and T. Gehrels. 2006. Discovery and Followup Observations of Retrograde Outer Solar System Object 2006 GZ2. This turned out to be a comet (P/2006 GZ2 (SPACEWATCH®); IAUC 8703), as its orbit suggested. In MPEC 2006-G38.
2006 March 4: Dual-scope operations: Automation has made it possible for the 0.9-meter telescope to run unattended and monitored by the observer at the 1.8-meter. This mode of solo observer operation of both telescopes was first used on 2006 January 8 UT and has been standard practice since 2006 March 4 UT.
2006 January 7: First Discovery of a Large Transneptunian Object with our Collaborators at the U. S. Naval Academy in archived SPACEWATCH® data.
2006 January 5: Read, M. T., and T. H. Bressi. 2006. Discovery and Followup Observations of Large Apollo Asteroid 2006 AO3. MPEC A33: 2006 AO3 [a=1.90,e=0.53,i=36.2,H=16.6] M.P.E.C. 2006-A33 Issued 2006 Jan. 8, 16:53 UT MPEC 2006-A33 : 2006 AO3 .
2006 Jan.7: Larsen, J. A., E. A. Roe, J. V. Scotti, A. F. Tubbiolo, M. Block, A. S. Descour, R. S. McMillan, M. T. Read, T. H. Bressi. 2006. Discovery, Prediscovery, and Incidental Followup Observations of Large Trans-Neptunian Object 2003 MW12, the first discovery of a Kuiper-Belt Object by the search at the United States Naval Academy. In MPEC 2006-A28.
2005 Dec 28: Discovery of small Apollo asteroid 2005 YU55 with 59 close approaches in 70 upcoming years: McMillan, R. S., and J. V. Scotti. 2005. Discovery and Followup Observations of Small Apollo Asteroid 2005 YU55. This object, while not initially labeled a PHA by the MPC, turned out to have 59 potential encounters with Earth between 2036 and 2105. In MPEC 2005-Y47.
2005 Oct 31: McMillan, R. S. 2005. Discovery of Large Amor Asteroid 2005 UP156.
MPEC 2005-V11: 2005 UP156 [a=2.23,e=0.53,i=4.7,H=16.6] Issued 2005 Nov. 2, 14:34 UT
https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K05/K05V11.html
2005 Oct 29: SPACEWATCH® discovers a Main-Belt Comet. Read, M. T., M. Block, T. H. Bressi, T. Gehrels, J. V. Scotti. 2005. Discovery and Followup Observations of Comet P/2005 U1 (Read). In MPEC 2005-U74. This is one of only a few comets with orbits similar to those of main-belt asteroids. See "Comets Posing as Asteroids Might be Source of Earth’s Water" on Space.com.
2005 Oct 12: SPACEWATCH® Discovers a small, fast-moving Aten "VI" with 24 close approaches in 64 upcoming years. Block, M., R. Gorelli, and T. H. Bressi. 2005. Discovery and Followup Observations of Small, Fast-Moving Aten Asteroid 2005 TH50. This H=28.0 Virtual Impactor (VI) has 24 potential encounters with Earth between 2031 and 2094. In MPEC 2005-T85.
2005 Oct 12: SPACEWATCH® Discovers a small, fast-moving Apollo with 3 close approaches in 74 upcoming years. Bressi, T. H., J. J. Gomez, M. Block. 2005. Discovery and Followup Observations of Small, Fast, Closely-approaching Apollo Asteroid 2005 TK50. This H=29.1 VI has 3 potential encounters with Earth between 2027 and 2100. In MPEC 2005-T87.
2005 July 11: Discovery of Apollo PHA with 85 close approaches in 92 upcoming years. Block, M., and E. P. Majden. 2005. Discovery and Followup Observations of Potentially Hazardous, Fast-moving Apollo Asteroid 2005 NX55. This H=21.9 VI has 85 potential encounters with Earth between 2011 and 2102. In MPEC 2005-N64.
2005 July 5: SPACEWATCH® images of 9P/Tempel 1:
The image on the left was obtained on 2005 July 4 by James V. Scotti using the SPACEWATCH® 1.8-m telescope in drift scan mode in the hours before the impact of the Deep Impact Spacecraft. Five images were coadded giving an effective exposure time of about 694 seconds. The comet has not changed significantly since the previous night. North is to the right and west at the bottom and the field of view is about 12.6 arcminutes N-S and 11.2 arcminutes E-W.
The image on the right was obtained on 2005 July 5 by Miwa Block using the SPACEWATCH® 1.8-m telescope in drift scan mode. Three images were coaded by James V. Scotti, giving an effective exposure time of about 416 seconds. Superimposed on the fan shaped coma and towards the west is an arc or shell of material that exploded from the Deep Impact spacecraft impact crater. North is to the right and west at the bottom and the field of view is about 12.6 arcminutes N-S and 11.2 arcminutes E-W. Here is a median combined version of the same three images.
2005 February 05: PHA, "Lost" for 15 Years, Recovered by SPACEWATCH®. Recovery of Large, Potentially Hazardous Apollo Asteroid 1990 SM which allowed linkage to 1987 SB4. This H=16.2 PHA was uncertain by 90 degrees of arc after not being observed for 15 years, but the search pattern and strategy developed by M. Block, A. S. Descour, and J. V. Scotti found the object seven degrees from the nominal ephemeris prediction. The object was running early in its orbit by 90 days. In MPEC 2005-C25.
2004 Dec 27: Possibility of an Earth Impact in 2029 Ruled Out for Asteroid 2004 MN4: Possibility of an Earth Impact in 2029 Ruled Out for Asteroid 2004 MN4
Animation
Pass1
Pass2
Pass3
Three prediscovery images of the Potentially Hazardous Aten Asteroid 2004 MN4 made by the SPACEWATCH® Project on 2004 March 15. The observer was Arianna E. Gleason; the images were found and measured by Anne S. Descour and Jeffrey A. Larsen. At the time of observation, the object's rate of motion produced trailing of 5 arcseconds during the 2 minute exposure times that were spaced approximately 40 minutes apart in time. This trailing, combined with variations in seeing and background noise, make these faint images less uniform and distinct than those of brighter stars in the same image. Field shown is 128x128 arcseconds with north at the top and east on the left.
MPEC 2004-Y70. Descour, A. S., and J. A. Larsen. Prediscovery Observations of Potentially Hazardous Virtual Impactor Aten Asteroid 2004 MN4. In MPEC 2004-Y70.
2004 March 1: FMO Project: First Recovery of a PHA by a volunteer
Three positions within frame (short timeline)
Peter Lake of Melbourne, Australia submitted the above FMO candidate which is 2000 EV70, a PHA last seen 2000 April 23. The SPACEWATCH® mosaic system, with its large field of view, was used for this deliberate recovery as 2000 EV70's position was highly uncertain. 2000 EV70 received an orbital adjustment in MPEC 2004-E11 based on our initial recovery measurements and followup measurements by another telescope.
2004 January 20: FMO Project Milestone: First Designation of a FMO discovered by a volunteer
Only 1 position within frame (regular timeline)
For more details, please see "Online SPACEWATCH® Volunteer Discovers Close-Approaching Asteroid" on UA News.
2003 October 25: FMO Project Milestone: First Recoverable FMO.
Vishnu Reddy, a FMO Project Reviewer, submitted the following 12 deg/day FMO on 2003 Oct 25. The three passes with the FMO in the center of each are below:
Mr. Reddy is a graduate student in the University of Dakota's Space Studies program. He has been averaging 40 image reviews per night. Unfortunately, this fmo was discovered more than 8 hours after the original images were acquired, so same night followup was not possible. An object moving at these rates needs to be recovered within 4-6 hours or it will likely become lost. SPACEWATCH® appreciates the efforts of Mr. Reddy and the many other FMO Project reviewers - we wish you all many future successes! (Note: As of late 2016, Mr. Reddy is now Professor Reddy at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory with an office just down the hall from our SPACEWATCH® group.)
2003 September 30: Unveiling of the FMO Project volunteer website. Through a generous contribution from the Paul G. Allen Charitable Foundation, SPACEWATCH® has introduced a volunteer program for finding fast moving objects in our mosaic imagery taken with the Kitt Peak 0.9m telescope. While the website has been available on a limited experimental basis for some time, we just opened the volunteer program to the public after the 2003 autumn equinox, the start of high season for asteroid detection. Please see the SPACEWATCH® FMO Project page for more details.
2003 September 20: Minor Planet 2003 SW130 smallest-yet SPACEWATCH® asteroid designated by MPC. On Sept 22, SPACEWATCH® object ts272 was given the official designation of 2003 SW130. A preliminary orbit calculated by the Minor Planet Center [MPC] suggested this SPACEWATCH® object was only 0.005 astronomical units [AU] (750,000km) from the Earth at the time of discovery, or about twice the distance from the Earth to the Moon. 2003 SW130's closest approach actually occurred the night before, Sept. 19 when it flew by at a distance of only 162,000 km, or less than half the distance to the Moon! As the smallest asteroid detected by SPACEWATCH® and designated by the MPC, its estimated size is between 5 - 9 meters in diameter, calculated as a function its absolute magnitude (H = 29.2). An object of this size poses no threat to the Earth, despite its close proximity on Sept 19. If the orbit were ever perturbed, predicting an impact with the Earth, it would probably disintegrate in the Earth's upper-atmosphere appearing as 'shooting-stars'. Small pieces of the asteroid might also fall to the ground as meteorites. It has been roughly calculated that objects of this size (about 5 meters) impact somewhere on the Earth's surface once each month! These are the largest objects a person could expect to see as a brilliant shooting-star in a lifetime. Although the smaller objects such as 2003 SW130 are not hazardous, the statistics of their population provide information about the processes of fragmentation and cohesion of asteroids due to their mutual collisions and gravitation, respectively.
2003 June 7: Comet C/2003 L1 (Scotti) discovered by J. V. Scotti. See also the discovery image and the discovery MPEC.
2003 March 8: Discovery and Followup of Amor Asteroid 2003 EN16. In MPEC 2003-E38. Amor Asteroid 2003 EN16 becomes the first NEO discovered with the SPACEWATCH® Mosaic of CCDs.
2003 January 10 - Comet C/2003 A2 discovered by A. E. Gleason.
2002 - Photo Gallery of the 0.9-meter telescope conversion.
2002 October 23: First Observation of an NEO with the Mosaic. On the second night of testing the CCD mosaic in bright moonlight, the focus and collimation were already so good that we decided to try some real observations. We detected the Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) 2002 TD66. Software and engineering refinements continue.
2002 Oct. 10: We had First Light on the optical system, and now we have achieved First Light on our new science detector, the Mosaic of CCDs. Focus, tip, and tilt look good. Installation of the new optical system for the mosaic of CCDs was completed, and images of star trails on a small engineering CCD showed good collimation and focus. Tracked "stare" images will be next, after the telescope is balanced with the science detector and the drive system set up again.
2002 September 24: SPACEWATCH® accepts delivery of the Mosaic mirror and conversion of the telescope speeds ahead.
2002: The technically challenging conversion of the 36" telescope to the mosaic of CCDs is completed and observing on that telescope resumed. This conversion will increase the rate of detection of NEOs by seven times compared to the old detector system on the same telescope. CCD mosaic of 37.7 million pixels. See the Photo Gallery detailing the conversion.
2002: SPACEWATCH® was the first to detect the "lost" CONTOUR Spacecraft.
2001: Full size CCD installed on 1.8-meter telescope. First astrometry with the 1.8-meter telescope. SPACEWATCH® detects the WIND spacecraft. Minor Planet 2000 WR106 is named (2000) Varuna by the IAU.
2000 November 28 - Discovery of Varuna (2000 WR106). At 900 kilometers in diameter, Varuna is among the largest Trans-Neptunian objects after the planet Pluto and its satellite Charon.
2000 May 1 - Long-lost asteroid (719) Albert rediscovered by SPACEWATCH®. 2000 January 28 - Discovery of 2000 BF19. This NEO had a potential of colliding with the Earth in 2022.
SPACEWATCH® data leads to Science article estimating number of Near Earth Asteroids and their properties! Images and News Release of SPACEWATCH® discovery of S/1999 J 1 , a new satellite of Jupiter.
SPACEWATCH® discovers new Minor Planet 2000 WR106 = (20000) Varuna, an object in the outer solar system that was temporarily the intrinsically brightest object known
in the Kuiper Belt other than Pluto: MPEC 2000-X02 : 2000 WR106 and 2000MPEC....X...02M.
SPACEWATCH® discovers first designated comet of the 2000s -- C/2000 A1 (Montani), due for perihelion on 2000 June 15 at a distance of 10 AU!)
SPACEWATCH® discovers Near-Earth Asteroid 2000 BF19.
SPACEWATCH® finds the last, then-remaining, "lost" numbered asteroid, (719) Albert.
2000: New estimate of the number of NEOs larger than 1 km in diameter. First light with SPACEWATCH® 1.8-meter telescope. Our first determination of the bright end of the cumulative luminosity function of TNOs. Rediscovery of minor planet (719) Albert. Discovery of the large TNO (20000) Varuna.