My asteroid discoveries

Blink image of the discovery triplet showing 2002 NX57, my first discovery (images by NEAT).

My Asteroid Discoveries

I searched for Near Earth Asteroids as a volunteer plate reviewer in the Spacewatch FMO Project from January of 2004 untill the project ended in 2006, and discovered the Amor asteroid 2005 GG81 this way. I also search for Main Belt Asteroids & Trojans in the NEAT archives since August of 2004, yielding over 50 new asteroid designations so far.

Current positions of the objects I discovered

(last update 13 June 2009)

Main belt & Trojan discoveries in NEAT images (see also table I and table II)

Currently, I have found (in addition to my NEA in the Spacewatch project) 55 new main belt asteroids plus 3 Jovian Trojans in NEAT archive images. Eighteen of these (seventeen main belts, one Trojan) have now been assigned permanent numbers (see list below) and seven have been given names.

The discoveries are made in archived imagery of NASA's NEAT project, which searches for Near Earth Asteroids. Their imagery contains numerous main belt asteroids as well, including uncatalogued ones. It is a sports and nice passtime for rainy Sundays, to hunt for these faint uncatalogued main belt asteroids in the images. The trick is to obtain enough positions on enough nights to get a designation for them from the IAU Minor Planet Center. This involves finding, astrometrically measuring and following the same object in imagery from multiple nights (see link in section useful information below) untill a linked set of observations spanning several nights is obtained. That sounds easy, but isn't.

The objects are typically in the magnitude +19.5 to +21 class in the discovery images, and typically have (estimated) real sizes near 1-2 km diameter. The Trojans are somewhat larger (up to 7-9 km diameter).

My discoveries classified into groups and families (last update 25 March 2009)
note: objects assigned to a family have not been counted into a MB group

My first discovery was 2002 NX57. I discovered it on 27 August 2004 in NEAT archive images from July and August 2002. As a matter of fact, I discovered 2002 QQ65 earlier, but it got MPEC-ed later, and only after Rob Matson (my 'tutor' in this work) helped me obtain some additional positions: so I regard 2002 NX57 as my first independant discovery. A number of other discoveries followed, and now the hunt is on for more! In 2008, I discovered my first Jovian Trojans, a special group of asteroids moving in the orbit of Jupiter, in Jupiter's Lagrange points L4 and L5. A full list of discoveries is given below.

My first (and only) Spacewatch NEA (see also table)

On 9 April 2005, I discovered my first (and only) NEA, 2005 GG81, while a voluntary plate reviewer in the Spacewatch FMO project. It's an Amor class asteroid of approximately 30 yards wide, which can come to within 0.053 AU of the Earth. Because of its small size, it needs to be close to earth to be detected again. The first occasion when that might be possible, will be near 6 April 2051 (see diagram below), when the asteroid might come as close as 0.09 AU again (compare to 0.06 AU for the discovery encounter in 2005). Perhaps I might live to see that happen.

Orbit of the small Amor asteroid 2005 GG81, which I discovered in the Spacewatch FMO project on 9 April 2005

Approaches to Earth for 2005 GG81 in future years

Perseverance pays....

Hunting NEA's with Spacewatch was a matter of perseverance. It took me over one year of dedicated reviewing, looking at about 3000 images, before I made my first find. By contrast, hunting MBA's in the NEAT archives is not too difficult once you know the tricks of the trade. Lately, it is turning more difficult, as more and more objects have already been picked up by other surveys.

Discovery credits & discoveries list

After recent policy changes at the MPC, formal credits for discoveries in the NEAT archives go to the NEAT team and not to the person finding the object in the NEAT imagery and submitting the linked astrometry (as they used to in the past). The personal 'discovery' count on this page therefore is a semi-official one similar to the habit of SOHO comet hunters.

By contrast, I got full formal credit for my discovery of 2005 GG81 while a volunteer plate reviewer with Spacewatch, being listed as an 'observer' in the MPEC. Hence, my Spacewatch discovery is a solid official discovery.

Names

The NEAT-team however has been very willing to go along with naming suggestions for five main belt objects I discovered in their data in 2004-2008 now bearing a permanent number. Four got named Miskotte, Neirinck, Rietmeijer and Kürti at my suggestion in November 2008 and a fifth got named Dubois in June 2009. The naming citations for these asteroids as published in the Minor Planet Circulars can be read here.

Below is a list of my discoveries so far.

Asteroid (183294) Langbroek

In August 2008, the International Astronomical Union named an asteroid after me: asteroid (183294) Langbroek. Read more about it here.

Useful information

A guide to using the Skymorph NEAT archives for discovery and precovery work can be found here. A follow-up ephemerides page for those who want to do follow-up astrometry on the objects I discovered to help improve their orbits, can be found here.

Acknowledgement is made to Jeff Brower for introducing me to the Spacewatch FMO Project, and especially to Rob Matson for introducing me to the techniques of hunting in the NEAT archives using Skymorph and Astrometrica. Astrometry on NEAT asteroids is done with Herbert Raab's excellent Astrometrica software. I thank the people of NEAT for their cooperation in naming the asteroids with a permanent number.

Discoveries (official) in the Spacewatch Project (Near Earth Asteroids):

obj. design. discovered MPEC type q (AU) e MOID (AU)

SW40LW 2005 GG81 09-04-2005 K05G73 Amor 1.0565 0.500 0.053 orbit plot

Discoveries (semi-official) in NEAT archives (Trojan asteroids):

obj. design. number name discovered disc image Nts arc subm. MPEC a (AU)

ML023A 2001 SD355 26-11-2008 23-11-2002 10 2001-2002 K08W84 5.16
ML041A 2002 WV27 203865 03-12-2008 24-11-2002 5 16/11-27/12 K08X54 5.20
ML137A 2002 WG29 24-01-2009 22-11-2002 6 2001-2002 K09B61 5.25

Discoveries (semi-official) in NEAT archives (Main Belt asteroids):

obj. design. number name discovered disc image Nts arc subm. MPEC Group

LAMA08 2002 NX57 27-8-2004 14-7-2002 3 14/7-8/8 K04Q59 MB I

LAMA04 2002 QQ65 213628 26-8-2004 28-8-2002 4 22/7-28/8 K04Q71 MB I

LAMA27 2002 PU167 132798 Kürti 01-9-2004 8-8-2002 6 4/7-29/8 K04R03 MB IIa

LAMA31 2002 OA26 01-9-2004 27-8-2002 4 18/7-27/8 K04R11 MB IIa

LAMA36 2002 QX65 132820 Miskotte 04-9-2004 17-7-2002 6 17/7-29/8 K04R23 MB IIIa

LAMA32 2002 NY57 02-9-2004 14-7-2002 7 4/7-29/8 K04R26 MB IIIb

LAMA12 2002 QA66 28-8-2004 8-8-2002 3 8/8-26/8 K04R52 Flora

LAMA50/51 2002 PA168 142014 Neirinck 04-10-2004 8-8-2002 4 8/8-29/8 K04T13 MB I

LAMA77 2002 PC168 14-10-2004 30-8-2002 5 11/8-15/9 K04T71 Flora

LAMA68 2002 QQ66 215463 Jobse 14-10-2004 30-8-2002 6 23/7-15/9 K04U01 Nysa

LAMA90 2002 QR66 27-10-2004 29-8-2002 4 8/8-29/8 K04U59 Vesta

LAMA92 2002 QS66 179678 Rietmeijer 28-10-2004 26-8-2002 5 8/8-15/9 K04U59 MB I

LAMA91 2002 QT66 28-10-2004 29-8-2002 5 8/8-29/8 K04U59 Flora

LAMA95 2002 QK67 213629 Binford 27-11-2004 26-8-2002 4 8/8-29/8 K04W48 MB IIa

LAMA2D 2002 BF32 18-11-2006 21-1-2002 3 20/1-22/1 K06WA3 Maria
ML009A 2002 PN188 234784 19-11-2008 8-8-2002 6 23/7-29/8 K08W84 MB IIb
ML022A 2002 WQ27 25-11-2008 23-11-2002 4 23/11-27/12 K08W84 MB IIa
ML035A 2002 WR27 30-11-2008 24-11-2002 4 23/11-27/12 K08X17 MB IIb
SM002A 2002 XK118 220256 30-11-2008 10-12-2002 5 16/11-19/1 K08X17 MB I
ML040A 2002 UU76 208930 03-12-2008 31-10-2002 8 2001-2002 K08X40 MB IIb
ML050A 2002 WW27 06-12-2008 24-11-2002 3 24/11-10/12 K08X70 MB IIIb
ML048A 2002 WX27 06-12-2008 24-11-2002 5 31/10-27/12 K08X70 MB IIIb
ML062A 2002 WA28 10-12-2008 23-11-2002 3 13/11-24/11 K08X83 MB IIa
ML076A 2002 WB28 12-12-2008 24-11-2002 3 23/11-10/12 K08X83 MB IIb
ML075A 2002 WC28 11-12-2008 24-11-2002 3 23/11-10/12 K08X83 MB I
ML079A 2002 UV76 13-12-2008 30-10-2002 4 30/10-10/12 K08X83 MB IIb
ML080A 2002 WF28 13-12-2008 24-11-2002 4 23/11-27/12 K08Y01 MB I
ML083A 2002 YV36 14-12-2008 27-12-2002 3 10/12-19/01 K08Y01 MB IIa
ML087A 2002 WL28 16-12-2008 23-11-2002 5 30/10-27/12 K08Y02 MB IIIb
ML091A 2002 WM28 206241 Dubois 16-12-2008 24-11-2002 5 31/10-10/12 K08Y02 Hygiea
ML093A 2002 XG119 238040 16-12-2008 10-12-2002 3 24/11-10/12 K08Y02 MB IIIb
ML097A 2002 WO28 22-12-2008 24-11-2002 3 24/11-10/12 K08Y47 MB IIIb
ML102A 2002 WP28 06-01-2009 24-11-2002 3 16/11-03/12 K09A40 Hygiea
ML104A 2002 XO119 07-01-2009 10-12-2002 3 24/11-10/12 K09A44 MB IIIa
ML110A 2002 WQ28 09-01-2009 23-11-2002 7 31/10-10/12 K09A57 MB IIIb
ML124A 2002 UY76 215518 14-01-2009 31-10-2002 5 31/10-01/12 K09B32 MB IIb
ML115A 2002 UA77 10-01-2009 31-10-2002 6 31/10-10/12 K09B32 MB IIb
ML122A 2002 WT28 14-01-2009 22-11-2002 8 31/10-10/12 K09B32 Maria
ML123A 2002 WV28 14-01-2009 22-11-2002 6 31/10-10/12 K09B32 Flora
ML134A 2002 WD29 23-01-2009 22-11-2002 4 31/10-10/12 K09B51 MB I
ML140A 2002 UB77 25-01-2009 31-10-2002 4 31/10-22/11 K09B61 MB I
ML143A 2002 WF29 25-01-2009 22-11-2002 3 04/11-22/11 K09B61 Hungaria
ML138A 2002 WH29 24-01-2009 22-11-2002 3 04/11-22/11 K09B61 Hungaria
ML145A 2002 VB143 232352 27-01-2009 12-11-2002 5 31/10-10/12 K09B65 Flora
ML146A 2002 VC143 27-01-2009 04-11-2002 4 31/10-10/12 K09C20 Gefion

ML147A 2002 VK143 28-01-2009 12-11-2002 5 31/10-22/11 K09C20 MB IIb
ML156A 2002 WP29 04-02-2009 22-11-2002 3 31/10-22/11 K09C49 MB I
ML160A 2002 WR29 240266 04-02-2009 22-11-2002 3 30/10-22/11 K09C49 MB IIIb
ML169A 2002 WS29 08-02-2009 22-11-2002 6 28/10-10/12 K09C68 MB IIIb
ML170A 2002 WT29 10-02-2009 22-11-2002 3 04/11-22/11 K09C78 MB I
ML177A 2002 WU29 234963 11-02-2009 22-11-2002 4 04/11-08/12 K09C81 Hygiea
ML183A 2002 WV29 226234 16-02-2009 22-11-2002 5 31/10-08/12 K09D18 Flora
ML184A 2002 WW29 18-02-2009 22-11-2002 3 04/11-10/12 K09D22 Eunomia

ML200A 2002 WY29 15-03-2009 24-11-2002 3 24/11-10/12 K09F08 MB IIa
ML201A 2002 WZ29 22-03-2009 24-11-2002 3 24/11-10/12 K09F67 MB IIa

total discoveries: 59
total temp. designations: 41
total permanent numbers: 18
named asteroids: 7

notes:

SW40LW while participating in the Spacewatch FMO project
LAMA04, ML009A together with Rob Matson
SM002A together with Stephanie Martin

Page allowing to retrieve Osculating orbital elements and/or search Ephemerides for these objects (source: MPC)

External links:

IAU Minor Planet Center (MPC)

List of Minor Planet Names (MPC website)

Recent MPEC's (MPC website)

Minor Planet and Comets Ephemeride service (MPC website)

NASA-JPL Small Body Database browser

The NEAT program's website

Stefan Kürti's asteroid website

last updated: 29 Aug 2010
diagrams last updated: 13 June 2009
last change: 2002 WR29 ---> 240266