Spacewatch studies of the population of earth-approaching asteroids

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Spacewatch Project was the first to use CCDs to discover Earth-approaching asteroids (EAs), has been discovering EAs steadily for a decade, and has used the results to estimate the statistical properties of the EA population. Spacewatch has discovered 235 EAs and measured and reported more than 5,200 positions of more than 390 EAs. Spacewatch has contributed more astrometric observations of EAs fainter than V=20 with subsequently secured orbits than all other search and followup programs combined. The wellunderstood properties of the Spacewatch survey make it possible to estimate that only 44% of EAs with H<18 have been found by all groups (Bottke et al. 2000, 2001). Bottke et al. also predict that most of the undiscovered EAs tend to have more extreme values of orbital parameters, making them more difficult to detect. This justifies Spacewatch's emphasis to reach faint and sense slow angular motions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
StatePublished - 2001
EventAIAA Space 2001 Conference and Exposition - Albuquerque, NM, United States
Duration: Aug 28 2001Aug 30 2001

Conference

ConferenceAIAA Space 2001 Conference and Exposition
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityAlbuquerque, NM
Period8/28/018/30/01

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Space and Planetary Science
  • Aerospace Engineering

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