The CERGA Observatory (french: Centre de recherches en géodynamique et astrométrie;
obs. code:
010 010 may refer to:
* 10 (number)
* 8 (number) in octal numeral notation
* Motorola 68010, a microprocessor released by Motorola in 1982
* 010, the telephone area code of Beijing
* 010, the Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the R ...
) was a scientific department and astronomical station of the
Côte d'Azur Observatory in southern France, where several
asteroid
An asteroid is a minor planet of the inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic or icy bodies with no atmosphere.
...
s were discovered during 1984–1993.
Description
CERGA included 28 researchers and as many engineers and technicians located on the Observatory sites of
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...
,
Grasse and
Calern
Caussols (; oc, Caussòus; it, Caussole) is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. It is known for the CERGA Observatory
The CERGA Observatory (french: Centre de recherches en géodynamique et astrométrie; ob ...
(
Caussols
Caussols (; oc, Caussòus; it, Caussole) is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. It is known for the CERGA Observatory on the Calern plateau.
Demographics
See also
*Communes of the Alpes-Maritimes departmen ...
). The scientific activities covered fields as diverse as fundamental
astronomy
Astronomy () is a natural science that studies astronomical object, celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and chronology of the Universe, evolution. Objects of interest ...
,
celestial mechanics
Celestial mechanics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the motions of objects in outer space. Historically, celestial mechanics applies principles of physics (classical mechanics) to astronomical objects, such as stars and planets, to ...
, and space
geodesy
Geodesy ( ) is the Earth science of accurately measuring and understanding Earth's figure (geometric shape and size), orientation in space, and gravity. The field also incorporates studies of how these properties change over time and equivale ...
. CERGA was in charge of several observing facilities of the
Lunar Laser Ranging experiment, for example, the lunar-laser ranging telescope and the two satellite laser stations.
By nature the scientific activity involved the acquisition of data and their processing, a dedicated instrumental development and a close relationship with the more theoretical aspects in dynamics and observation modelling.
CERGA was dissolved in 2004 when the parent
Côte d'Azur Observatory re-organized. The main-belt asteroid
2252 CERGA
5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. It has attained significance throughout history in part because typical humans have five digits on eac ...
was named for the observatory, where this asteroid was discovered by
Kōichirō Tomita
was a Japanese astronomer, discoverer of minor planets and comets.
The fireball passed over west Japan and was recorded by photos and a sketch. Kōichirō Tomita identified that it was the Kosmos 133 spacecraft (30 November 1966).
He is credit ...
.
List of discovered minor planets
The
Minor Planet Center
The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the official body for observing and reporting on minor planets under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Founded in 1947, it operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
Function
...
directly credits the CERGA observatory with the discovery of 21 asteroids made during 1984–1993.
The discoveries were made using the observatory's 0.9-meter Schmidt telescope.
See also
*
*
OCA–DLR Asteroid Survey
The OCA–DLR Asteroid Survey (ODAS) was an astronomical survey to search for small Solar System bodies focusing on near-Earth objects in the late 1990s. This European scientific project was a collaboration between the French Observatoire de la ...
References
External links
CERGA English home page* http://www.oca.eu/
www.beyond.fr
{{DEFAULTSORT:Centre de recherches en geodynamique et astrometrie
Astronomy institutes and departments
Asteroid surveys
Year of establishment missing
2004 disestablishments in France
Minor-planet discovering observatories