Asteroid Orbit Analysis
Orbit Determination and Simulation using the CDK700 Telescope
Department of Physics, Pusan National UniversityMiryang Arirang Astronomical Observatory2022.08 - 2022.11
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astronomyasteroidstelescopesimulation
Research Context
The monitoring of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) is a critical component of modern astronomy, contributing to both Planetary Defense and our understanding of solar system dynamics. Small asteroids (<1km) are particularly challenging to track due to their abundance and frequent orbital perturbations.
This project focused on the complete pipeline of asteroid tracking: from direct observation to orbit determination. Utilizing the research-grade CDK700 telescope (0.7m aperture) at Miryang Arirang Astronomical Observatory (MAAO), we performed follow-up observations of target asteroids. The gathered data was used to calculate Orbital Elements and simulate future trajectories, allowing us to compare theoretical predictions with actual observational evidence.
Observation Equipment: CDK700
The PlaneWave CDK700 is a 0.7m research telescope installed at MAAO. Its Corrected Dall-Kirkham optical design provides a flat, coma-free field of view, making it ideal for precision astrometry.
Optics:
Specs:
Mount:
Location:
Methodology
Observation & Data Acquisition
Conducted scheduled observations using the CDK700. Captured time-series FITS images of target fields containing specific asteroids.
Astrometry (Position Measurement)
Performed Plate Solving on captured images to extract precise Right Ascension (RA) and Declination (Dec) coordinates using reference star catalogs.
Orbit Determination & Simulation
Calculated the 6 Keplerian Orbital Elements from the observed coordinates. Used Python (Rebound) to perform N-body simulations and predict future positions.
Tools & Software
- Telescope Control: PlaneWave Interface 4 (PWI4)
- Imaging & Processing: MaxIm DL, SAOImage DS9
- Astrometry: Astrometrica
- Analysis & Simulation: Python (Astropy, NumPy, Rebound), Stellarium
Project Outcomes
- Successfully tracked and imaged faint asteroids (~Mag 18) using the 0.7m telescope.
- Extracted precise astrometric data and verified it against the Minor Planet Center (MPC) database.
- Computed orbital elements from observations and confirmed accuracy through N-body simulations.
- Gained hands-on experience with research-grade telescope operation and astronomical data processing.
References
The Robotic MAAO 0.7m Telescope System: Performance and Standard Photometric System
Lim, G. et al.
arXiv:2404.15884 [astro-ph.IM]
Minor Planet Center
IAU
Database