NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID TRACKING

SCHEDULE: NEAT observations are in progress at MSSS. NEAT observations at Palomar are scheduled to occur in the pre-new Moon periods. Optimization of the new and improved QUEST camera at Palomar continues.

INFO-PRESS RELEASES LINKS INTERESTING OBJECTS BY MONTH
MOVIE PREVIOUS IMAGES DISCOVERIES/GLOSSARY
NEAT NUMBERS GAME NEAR EARTH OBJECT FAQS SkyMorph Images and Objects ARCHIVE
ASTEROID POPULATION NEAT MSSS NEAT/Palomar 48" Oschin Telescope

NEAT is comprised of two autonomous observing systems at Maui Space Surveillance Site, NEAT/MSSS, and at Palomar Observatory, NEAT/Palomar. At both sites the NEAT cameras use 1.2-m (48") telescopes to find Near-Earth objects (NEOs), both Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) and comets. In April we discovered 5 NEAs: 3 Amors including 1 > 1 km in diameter, and 2 Apollos, both PHAs. We also discovered a 700-km diameter Trans-Neptunian Object (TNO).

LATE BREAKING IMAGES

In May we discovered 1 NEA: an Apollo.

DISCOVERIES THIS MONTH WITH DESIGNATIONS AND CHARACTERIZATION

Designat. NEAT name & Image Disc. with NEAT/ Date Vel. (deg/day) Mag. Size in km (miles) Orbit Visual. Comment*
2004 JC 6QOWXDO Palomar 8 May 1.1 19 0.3 (0.2) orbit Apollo

*Amors, Apollos, and Atens are the three categories of Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). Amor asteroids approach the Earth's orbit from the outside, Apollo asteroids cross the Earth's orbit, and Aten asteroids approach the Earth's orbit from the inside. Potentially Hazardous asteroids (PHAs) are larger than ~0.2 km (0.1 mile) and approach close enough to present a potential hazard but not a current hazard.

DISCOVERIES THIS MONTH PENDING CHARACTERIZATION

Candidates on NEOCP* Discovered with NEAT/ Date Velocity (deg/day) Magnitude
YT8OJR MSSS 9 May 4.1 19

*Follow-up observations are often required! See the Near-Earth Object Confirmation Page (NEOCP) of the Minor Planet Center for ephemerides.

NEAT image format page explains the features in the above image(s).


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