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14" Celestron SCT + CCD camera for asteroid searches



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 4th 03, 03:34 PM
Victor
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Default 14" Celestron SCT + CCD camera for asteroid searches

I was wondering about imaging asteroids with a 14" Celestron SCT and a
CCD camera at a local university's observatory.

I am interested in a ball park figure of the magnitude for the dimmest
asteroidal object one would typically be able to capture. The
observatory is on the campus grounds right in the middle of a rather big
city and I don't know the make or model of the CCD!

Exposure time and tracking accuracy would obviously be critical, right?

--
25° 45' S
28° 12' E
GMT+2

  #2  
Old November 4th 03, 04:43 PM
Michael A. Covington
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Default 14" Celestron SCT + CCD camera for asteroid searches

You could probably hit 17th magnitude. As I understand it, you should no
longer expect to discover asteroids at this magnitude because Project LINEAR
catches them. But for the latest, contact Dennis Di Cicco at Sky and
Telescope.

"Victor" wrote in message
...
I was wondering about imaging asteroids with a 14" Celestron SCT and a
CCD camera at a local university's observatory.

I am interested in a ball park figure of the magnitude for the dimmest
asteroidal object one would typically be able to capture. The
observatory is on the campus grounds right in the middle of a rather big
city and I don't know the make or model of the CCD!

Exposure time and tracking accuracy would obviously be critical, right?

--
25° 45' S
28° 12' E
GMT+2



  #3  
Old November 4th 03, 11:42 PM
Rod Mollise
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Default 14" Celestron SCT + CCD camera for asteroid searches

You could probably hit 17th magnitude.

Hi:

This is being a bit conservative, I think. 18 - 19 maybe a bit better.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html
  #4  
Old November 5th 03, 08:42 AM
Victor
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Default 14" Celestron SCT + CCD camera for asteroid searches

Michael A. Covington wrote:
You could probably hit 17th magnitude. As I understand it, you should no
longer expect to discover asteroids at this magnitude because Project LINEAR
catches them.


According to the LINEAR website, http://www.ll.mit.edu/LINEAR

"The LINEAR program uses a pair of GEODSS telescopes at Lincoln
Laboratory's Experimental Test Site (ETS) on the White Sands Missile
Range in Socorro, NM."

I'll be observing from 25° south latitude, so maybe I'll be lucky enough
to image something that is out of reach of LINEAR or the other robotic
telescopes in the northern hemisphere!

--
25° 45' S
28° 12' E
GMT+2

  #5  
Old November 5th 03, 02:40 PM
Chuck
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Default 14" Celestron SCT + CCD camera for asteroid searches

LINEAR has limited assets, so they are focusing "no pun intended" on high
probability areas. For both comet hunters and asteriod hunters there are
opportunities out there. Also since GEODSS is a Govt. program, they do
have a lot more money, but upgrades take time to get funded and implement.
The commercial CCD technology will probably out pace them in between
upgrades ... Any comet/asteriod hunters out there to comment?


"Victor" wrote in message
...
Michael A. Covington wrote:
You could probably hit 17th magnitude. As I understand it, you should

no
longer expect to discover asteroids at this magnitude because Project

LINEAR
catches them.


According to the LINEAR website, http://www.ll.mit.edu/LINEAR

"The LINEAR program uses a pair of GEODSS telescopes at Lincoln
Laboratory's Experimental Test Site (ETS) on the White Sands Missile
Range in Socorro, NM."

I'll be observing from 25° south latitude, so maybe I'll be lucky enough
to image something that is out of reach of LINEAR or the other robotic
telescopes in the northern hemisphere!

--
25° 45' S
28° 12' E
GMT+2



 




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