Asteroid Zoo Talk

7. Galaxy and asteroid

  • nadirt by nadirt

    100% asteroid

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  • scibuff by scibuff

    Good catch

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  • nadirt by nadirt in response to scibuff's comment.

    Thank you. Can I ask here some questions about the project ?

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  • scibuff by scibuff

    Sure, although I'm not an AZ team member

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  • nadirt by nadirt

    1. How many images are there in database ? How old are they ?
    2. Are the same images repeating to me or I always get new series ?
    3. How often (if any) are the new fields added ?
    4. Who checks and reports them ? So far I cannot see any AZ team members here checking our results.
    5. Generally, is there a chance of finding something undiscovered or images are just too old and same areas are already covered and re-discovered by newer projects ?
    6. Last, but not least - what will happen if new asteroid is found ? What will we receive (any chance to name it or be listed as discoverer ?) ?

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  • scibuff by scibuff

    (1) no idea, but a single field from CSS (Catalina Sky Survey) is 4k x 4k pixels IIRC and the images we're seeing at 256x256 so there are 256 of them from a single field. During one night, the CSS can take a few dozen of those. I wouldn't be surprised if this first batch contained a few thousand image sets (but could be much much more)
    (2) pretty sure no single user views the same image set twice
    (3) no idea
    (4) please see my comment here http://talk.asteroidzoo.org/#/boards/BAZ0000002/discussions/DAZ00000kq
    (5) tbh, while I think the chances of finding a new object are not too bad, the chances of a recovery of the same object in images within a few days (of the discovery) are pretty slim and it gets even worse from there.
    (6) naming / discovery credit will only ever belong to CSS

    Basically, here's the deal with asteroid discovery. If you find a new asteroid, it will need to be observed on 2 and 2 nights during least 3-4 oppositions (~1.5 years each) before it can receive a permanent designation (a number), after which it can be named. The CSS observer will be listed as the discoverer, for years the Minor Planet Center (MPC) has not been accepting name suggestions for asteroids discovered by folks participating in asteroid search programs - this has changed after NEAT discoveries through SkyMorph in ~2008/2009 IIRC. You may be able to suggest a name to the CSS staff who may accept it and forward it to MPC and IAU

    please note that I'm in no way associated with this project so these are just educated guesses on my part

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  • nadirt by nadirt

    Thank you so much for the answers. In general, just like I thought...

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