(Click on image for sidereal tracking)
Asteroid tracking
| Description: | This asteroid, labeled 2002 NY40, is around 800
meters in diameter and passed the earth within 1.3 times the earth to moon
distance. Due to its proximity to the earth, it moves very fast
through the heavens. When these images were taken, it was moving so
fast that it only took 8.6 minutes to cover one degree of sky. |
| Exposure Data: | 8/18/2002. 6x20s. -2°C,
1.0 arc-sec./pixel |
| Processing: | Acquired in CCDSoft, dark subtracted and
combined in Mira. |
| Optical System: | 10” Ritchey-Chretien @ F/7.2, ST-8E USB NABG/CFW-8A
CCD camera, Paramount ME mount. |
| Comments: | After obtaining the orbital parameters for the
asteroid through TheSky, I found the object, set the Paramount to track on
the object and took 3 20 sec. exposures. Here the object is stationary
and the stars trailed. I then reset the ME tracking
to sidereal rate to show the asteroid movement across the star field.
Again, 3 20 sec. exposures were taken and combined. Here, the object
can be seen trailing against the star field. The ME made this experiment a snap!
I attempted some astrometry of the asteroid with
these results. |