Dymock Asteroids and Dwarf Planets and How to Observe Them

1. Auflage 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4419-6439-7
Verlag: Springer
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 248 Seiten

Reihe: Astronomers' Observing Guides

Dwarf planets (which were formerly called asteroids except for the planet Pluto), and the smaller Solar System bodies still called asteroids today, are making front page news, particularly those that are newly discovered and those that might present a hazard to life on Earth by impacting our planet. In this age of giant telescopes and space probes, these small Solar System bodies have advanced from being tiny points of light to bodies worthy of widespread study. This book describes the dwarf planets and asteroids themselves, their origins, orbits, and composition, and at how amateur astronomers can play a part in their detection, tracking, and imaging. The book is divided into two parts. Part I describes physical properties (including taxonomic types) of dwarf planets and asteroids, how they formed in the early life of the Solar System, and how they evolved to their present positions, groups, and families. It also covers the properties used to define these small Solar System bodies: magnitude, rotation rates (described by their light-curves), and orbital characteristics. Part II opens with a description of the hardware and software an amateur or practical astronomer needs to observe and also to image asteroids. Then numerous observing techniques are covered in depth. Finally, there are lists of relevant amateur and professional organizations and how to submit your own observations to them.

Roger Dymock lives in Hampshire, England. He is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. His published work includes Journal of the BAA: 'The Observapod - a GRP observatory'; Minor Planet Bulletin, No. 32 2005: 'Lightcurve of 423 Diotima'; Sky at Night magazine: 'How to track an asteroid'; and Journal of the BAA: 'A method for determining the V magnitude of asteroids from CCD images' (jointly with Dr Richard Miles).

Autoren/Hrsg.

Dymock, Roger

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Acknowledgements;6
2;About the Author;8
3;Contents;10
4;Part I: Asteroids andDwarf Planets;16
4.1;Chapter 1: Introduction;17
4.2;Chapter 2: Small (and Not So Small) Solar System Bodies;22
4.2.1;Planets and Dwarf Planets;22
4.2.2;Resolution 5;23
4.2.3;Resolution 6;23
4.2.4;Asteroids;24
4.2.5;Designations Old and New;26
4.2.6;Numbering and Naming;27
4.2.7;Asteroid Orbits;27
4.2.8;Lost? Perhaps Not;30
4.3;Chapter 3: Groups and Families;31
4.3.1;Asteroid Groups;31
4.3.2;Vulcanoids;32
4.3.3;Near-Earth Asteroids/Objects (NEAs/Os);32
4.3.4;The Main Belt;34
4.3.5;Trojans;35
4.3.5.1;Locations and Numbers;35
4.3.5.2;Martian Trojans;35
4.3.5.3;Jupiter (or Jovian) Trojans;36
4.3.5.4;Neptune Trojans;36
4.3.6;Centaurs;37
4.3.7;The Edgeworth–Kuiper Belt;37
4.3.8;Plutinos and Plutoids;38
4.3.9;Classical Edgeworth–Kuiper Belt Objects;39
4.3.10;Scattered Disk Objects;40
4.3.11;Detached Objects;40
4.3.12;And Finally…;40
4.3.13;Moons;41
4.3.13.1;Classical Orbits;41
4.3.13.2;Quasi-Satellites and Horseshoe Orbits;41
4.3.14;Dwarf Planets;42
4.3.15;Exosolar Asteroids;42
4.3.16;Summary;42
4.4;Chapter 4: The Nature of Asteroids and Dwarf Planets;44
4.4.1;Rubble Piles or Solid Bodies?;44
4.4.2;Binaries and Beyond;46
4.4.3;Asteroid or Comet?;48
4.4.4;Spectral Classification;48
4.4.5;Opposition Effect;51
4.4.6;What of EKBOs?;52
4.4.7;Dwarf Planets and Their Moons;53
4.4.8;(1) Ceres;54
4.4.9;(134340) Pluto;55
4.4.10;(136108) Haumea;56
4.4.11;(136199) Eris;57
4.4.12;(136472) Makemake;58
4.5;Chapter 5: Origins and Evolution;59
4.5.1;The Birth of the Solar System;59
4.5.2;How the Asteroids Formed;60
4.5.3;Where Near-Earth Asteroids Come from;60
4.5.4;Why Are There Asteroids and No Planets Between Mars and Jupiter?;62
4.5.5;Why Are There Gaps in the Main Belt?;63
4.5.6;The Edges of the Main Belt;64
4.5.7;How Asteroid Families Came to Be;64
4.5.8;Planetary Satellites;65
4.5.9;The Origin of Trojan Asteroids;65
4.5.10;Unpredictable Centaurs;65
4.5.11;The Edgeworth–Kuiper Belt: Knowns and Unknowns;66
4.6;Chapter 6: Impact?;69
4.6.1;Near-Earth Objects (NEOs);69
4.6.2;Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs);69
4.6.3;Craters and Cratering;70
4.6.4;What If?;71
4.6.5;Discovery;73
4.6.6;Uncertainty Becoming Certainty (Hit or Miss);74
4.6.7;Who Watches the Watchers?;77
4.6.8;Deflect or Destroy?;77
4.6.8.1;Deflection;78
4.6.9;Destruction;79
5;Part II: Observing Guide;80
5.1;Chapter 7: Observatories;81
5.1.1;Temporary or Portable Set-Up;81
5.1.2;Backyard Observatories;82
5.1.2.1;Observatory Domes;82
5.1.2.2;Roll-Off Roof Observatories;82
5.1.2.3;Roll-Away Shed;84
5.1.2.4;A Remote-Controlled Observatory;84
5.1.3;Amateur Astronomical Groups;85
5.1.4;Robotic Telescopes;87
5.1.5;Professional Observatories;88
5.1.5.1;Catalina Sky Survey (CSS);88
5.1.5.2;Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS);89
5.1.6;Space Missions;89
5.2;Chapter 8: Visual Observing;92
5.2.1;Getting Started;93
5.2.2;Limiting Magnitude;95
5.2.3;Finding the Target;96
5.2.4;Targets for Tonight;96
5.2.5;What to Record;99
5.2.5.1;Logbook;99
5.2.6;Drawing the Star Field;99
5.2.7;Estimating Magnitude (Visual Photometry);101
5.2.7.1;The Fractional Method;101
5.2.7.2;The Argelander Step Method;102
5.2.7.3;Pogson’s Step Method;102
5.2.8;Estimating Position (Visual Astrometry);102
5.2.9;Observing Projects;103
5.2.9.1;How Faint Can You Go?;103
5.2.9.2;Following in the Footsteps;103
5.2.10;Conclusion;104
5.3;Chapter 9: Webcam and DSLR Imaging;105
5.3.1;Webcam Imaging;105
5.3.1.1;Asteroid (6) Hebe by Chris Hooker, UK;106
5.3.1.1.1;Locating the Asteroid;106
5.3.1.1.2;Image Capture;107
5.3.1.1.3;Image Processing Part I;108
5.3.1.1.4;Image Processing Part II;108
5.3.1.2;(1) Ceres – John Sussenbach;108
5.3.1.2.1;Image Capture;108
5.3.1.2.2;Image Processing;108
5.3.2;DSLR Imaging;110
5.3.2.1;(44) Nysa – Michael Clarke;111
5.3.2.2;Asteroids (11) Parthenope and (16) Psyche: Maurice Gavin;111
5.3.3;Conclusion;113
5.4;Chapter 10: Astrometry Tools and Techniques;114
5.4.1;The What, Why, and How;114
5.4.1.1;What Is Astrometry?;114
5.4.1.2;Why Is It Needed?;115
5.4.1.3;How Is It Done?;115
5.4.2;Tools of the Trade;115
5.4.3;CCD Basics;117
5.4.4;Pixel Size;119
5.4.5;Obtaining an Observatory Code;119
5.4.5.1;Why Do You Need One?;119
5.4.5.2;Choosing Asteroids to Image;119
5.4.5.3;Imaging the Asteroids;120
5.4.5.4;Processing the Images;122
5.4.6;Verification of Results;123
5.4.7;Submission of Results to the Minor Planet Center;124
5.4.8;Tracking and Stacking;125
5.4.9;Conclusion;127
5.5;Chapter 11: Astrometry Projects;128
5.5.1;Follow-Up Observations;128
5.5.1.1;Lowell Observatory;129
5.5.1.2;Spaceguard;129
5.5.1.3;Follow-Up Astrometric Program (FUAP);130
5.5.1.4;Minor Planet Center;131
5.5.2;Discovery Confirmation;132
5.5.3;Asteroid Discovery;135
5.5.4;Advanced Amateur Astrometry;137
5.5.4.1;Very Fast Moving Objects (VFMOs);137
5.5.4.2;Determination of NEO Distance by Parallax;139
5.5.4.3;Moving Object and Transient Event Search System (MOTESS);140
5.5.4.4;An Outer Solar System High Ecliptic Latitude Survey;142
5.5.5;Conclusion;143
5.6;Chapter 12: Lightcurve Photometry Tools and Techniques;144
5.6.1;Asteroid Rotation;144
5.6.2;An Asteroid Lightcurve;147
5.6.3;What Can a Lightcurve Tell Us?;147
5.6.4;What Is Photometry?;148
5.6.4.1;Differential Photometry;148
5.6.4.2;Absolute or All-Sky Photometry;149
5.6.4.3;A New Approach;149
5.6.5;Equipment Needed;150
5.6.6;Differential Photometry;151
5.6.6.1;Choosing a Target;151
5.6.6.2;Imaging;152
5.6.6.3;Image Processing and Analysis Using MPO Canopus;153
5.6.7;A New Approach;157
5.6.7.1;Slow Rotators;157
5.6.7.2;Imaging;158
5.6.7.3;Image Processing and Analysis;160
5.6.8;Conclusion;161
5.7;Chapter 13: Lightcurve Photometry Projects;162
5.7.1;The Handbook of the British Astronomical Association;162
5.7.2;Minor Planet Bulletin (MPB) Projects;164
5.7.2.1;Shape and Spin Axis Modeling;165
5.7.2.2;Determination of Rotational Period;166
5.7.2.3;In Support of Planned Radar Targets;166
5.7.3;Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL);168
5.7.3.1;Mikko Kaasalainen’s Shape Modeling Program;168
5.7.3.2;Koronis Family Asteroids Rotation Lightcurve Observing Program;169
5.7.3.3;Jupiter Trojans;170
5.7.3.4;Karin Family Asteroids;170
5.7.3.5;Ondrejov Asteroid Photometry Project;170
5.7.4;‘Extreme’ Lightcurves;172
5.7.5;Conclusion;174
5.8;Chapter 14: Absolute Magnitude;175
5.8.1;Theory;175
5.8.2;Not Quite Absolute;177
5.8.3;Practical;180
5.8.3.1;What to Observe;180
5.8.3.2;Analysis;180
5.8.4;An Example: Asteroid (01909) Alekhin;181
5.8.5;Publish!;183
5.8.6;What of the Professionals?;183
5.8.7;Conclusion;184
5.9;Chapter 15: Occultations;185
5.9.1;What Is an Occultation?;185
5.9.2;What Can Occultations Tell Us?;185
5.9.3;Occultation Predictions;188
5.9.4;Observing an Occultation;189
5.9.4.1;Visual Observing;189
5.9.4.2;Video Recording;191
5.9.4.3;CCD Imaging;193
5.9.5;Reporting;195
5.9.6;Results;196
5.9.7;Conclusion;197
5.10;Chapter 16: On-Line Image Analysis;198
5.10.1;The Past – Spacewatch Fast Moving Object (FMO) Project;198
5.10.2;The Present – Skymorph;198
5.10.3;The Future - ?;206
5.11;Chapter 17: A Final Word;207
6;Appendix A;210
6.1;Amateur and Professional Organizations;210
7;Appendix B;211
7.1;Resources;211
7.2;Books;211
7.3;Websites;213
7.4;Mailing Lists;221
8;Appendix C;222
8.1;Papers;222
8.2;A Method for Determining the V Magnitude of Asteroids from CCD Images;222
8.3;Roger Dymock and Richard Miles;222
8.4;The Problem;222
8.5;Proposed Solution;223
8.6;Practical Results;225
8.7;Example 1: Determining the V Magnitude of Asteroid (1467) Mashona;225
8.8;Example 2: Determining the V Magnitude of Asteroid 2000 BD19;230
8.9;Conclusion;232
8.10;Acknowledgements;233
8.11;References;233
8.12;Postscript;234
8.13;Notes on Using Astrometrica to Determine V Magnitudes;236
9;Appendix D;238
9.1;Astrometry How-To;238
9.2;Most Common Problems;238
9.3;Notes Regarding Professional Programs;240
10;Index;241