Asteroid Comet Impact Hazards - Florida International University

NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID TRACKING
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
http://neat.jpl.nasa.gov/ (1 of 2)12/5/2005 4:31:51 PM