Automatic Detection of NEOs in CCD Frames
A. L. García 1,2
1Astronomy and Astrophysics Department of Valencia University, Valencia, Spain
2Astronomical Observatory, Valencia, Spain
Abstract:
Detection of transient phenomena is of great interest in many astronomical projects. CCD frames obtained with modern telescopes with robotic operation allow carrying out standard observation programs for detection of peculiar objects on stellar backgrounds, as is the case of Near Earth Objects (NEOs).
Valencia Observatory new telescope TROBAR (altazimutal 60 cm Ritchey-Cretien telescope) placed at University of Valencia as-tronomical station will be operated from Valencia headquarters and an automatic detection programs will be carried out with several CCD devices [1].
In this paper, we present original algorithms for automatically detecting dim NEO images in telescope frames, considering both sidereal and differential tracking [2]. In both cases, detection can be done from peculiar characteristics of a NEO image or from the comparison of two frames of the same stellar zone.
Algorithms and codes are based on the previous experience of the author in minor planet astrometry with CCD images at Valencia Observatory since 2001 and in differential tracking applied to photo-graphic plates at La Silla in 1992. Peculiar algorithms have been de-veloped for several kinds of images [3, 4].
Visual Basic platform is used. "Masks" or "filters" are not ap-plied and algorithms are original, robust and fast.
This work can be applied to automatic detection of transient phenomena with different equipments and under different conditions, introducing small modifications to the algorithms and adapting them.
Key words:
Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), Near Earth Objects (NEOs), near-Earth asteroids (NEAs), automatic detection of transient phenomena, CCD, telescopes with robotic operation, standard observation programs, detection of peculiar objects on stellar backgrounds, Valencia Observatory, telescope TROBAR, automatic detection programs, algorithms, dim NEO images, sidereal tracking, differential tracking, peculiar characteristics, comparison of two frames of the same stellar zone, Visual Basic platform.