Minor Planet CenterMinor Planet Center

By: Christie NurkowskiBy: Christie Nurkowski

What is MPC?What is MPC? Based at the Based at the

Smithsonian Smithsonian Astrophysical Astrophysical ObservatoryObservatory

It designates minor It designates minor bodies in our solar bodies in our solar systemsystem

It collect information It collect information and publicizes itand publicizes it

What do you observe?What do you observe? Minor Planets (asteroids)Minor Planets (asteroids) Comets (with the CBAT)Comets (with the CBAT) Natural Satellites (with the CBAT)Natural Satellites (with the CBAT)

Equipment Needed to ObserveEquipment Needed to Observe

A telescope A telescope (reflector/refractor)(reflector/refractor)

A computer with a A computer with a CD-ROM driveCD-ROM drive

A clock or watch set A clock or watch set to UTCto UTC

Guide Star Catalogue Guide Star Catalogue softwaresoftware

Jordan HallJordan Hall

Will be your permanent siteWill be your permanent site Obtain an observatory codeObtain an observatory code

Beginning ObserversBeginning Observers Start with average Start with average

sized objectssized objects Observe more than Observe more than

one at a timeone at a time Observe objects of Observe objects of

various brightnessvarious brightness Gain experience Gain experience

before moving to before moving to more “unusual more “unusual objects”objects”

ObservationsObservations Observe over two nights Observe over two nights

or as closely as possibleor as closely as possible Two or three Two or three

observations per each observations per each objectobject

Observe for about an Observe for about an hourhour

Your initial batch Your initial batch contains two nights of contains two nights of observation of more than observation of more than one numbered minor one numbered minor planetplanet

Reporting InformationReporting InformationSpecial formatSpecial formatState only one position for each State only one position for each

observationobservationReport positions of objects in your imagesReport positions of objects in your imagesRequired to includeRequired to include

ObserverObserverMeasurerMeasurerTelescope detailsTelescope details

First Time Submitting Astrometric First Time Submitting Astrometric ObservationsObservations

You must report:You must report:A snail mail addressA snail mail addressObservatory name and siteObservatory name and siteLongitude (degrees, minutes, and seconds)Longitude (degrees, minutes, and seconds)Latitude (degrees, minutes, and seconds)Latitude (degrees, minutes, and seconds)Altitude (meters above sea-level)Altitude (meters above sea-level)Details of telescope set upDetails of telescope set upFirst batch of observationsFirst batch of observations

Sending Information InSending Information InMostly sent in by e-mailMostly sent in by e-mailAstrometric (minor planets) emailed to Astrometric (minor planets) emailed to

MPC – MPC – mpc@cfa.harvard.edumpc@cfa.harvard.eduComets emailed to CBAT – Comets emailed to CBAT –

cbat@cfa.harvard.educbat@cfa.harvard.edu

Observations Processed by MPCObservations Processed by MPC

MPC will send you a noticeMPC will send you a noticeLook at observations when resources are Look at observations when resources are

availableavailableGo in order in which observations are Go in order in which observations are

receivedreceived

Questions?Questions?