astronomical survey
An astronomical survey is a general celestial cartography, map or astrophotography, image of a region of the sky (or of the whole sky) that lacks a specific observational target. Alternatively, an astronomical survey may comprise a set of image ...
to search for
small Solar System bodies
A small Solar System body (SSSB) is an object in the Solar System that is neither a planet, a dwarf planet, nor a natural satellite. The term was first IAU definition of planet, defined in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) as fo ...
focusing on
near-Earth object
A near-Earth object (NEO) is any small Solar System body orbiting the Sun whose closest approach to the Sun ( perihelion) is less than 1.3 times the Earth–Sun distance (astronomical unit, AU). This definition applies to the object's orbit a ...
s in the late 1990s. This European scientific project was a collaboration between the French Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur (OCA) and the
German Aerospace Center
The German Aerospace Center (, abbreviated DLR, literally ''German Center for Air- and Space-flight'') is the national center for aerospace, energy and transportation research of Germany, founded in 1969. It is headquartered in Cologne with 3 ...
(DLR). The survey is credited for the discovery of one
comet
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that warms and begins to release gases when passing close to the Sun, a process called outgassing. This produces an extended, gravitationally unbound atmosphere or Coma (cometary), coma surrounding ...
and more than 1000 minor planets during 1996–1999.
Description
ODAS operated in cooperation with a global effort regarding
near-Earth object
A near-Earth object (NEO) is any small Solar System body orbiting the Sun whose closest approach to the Sun ( perihelion) is less than 1.3 times the Earth–Sun distance (astronomical unit, AU). This definition applies to the object's orbit a ...
s that was begun by the "Working Group on Near-Earth Objects", a component of the
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union (IAU; , UAI) is an international non-governmental organization (INGO) with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreach, education, and developmen ...
. The project began October 1996 and ceased observations in April 1999 for a refurbishing. However the telescope has not been reopened since that time. Survey observations were made during the 15 days each month when moon light was at a minimum, during the first and last quarters of the lunar month. The operation used a 90 cm
Schmidt telescope
Schmidt may refer to:
* Schmidt (surname), including list of people and fictional characters with the surname
* Schmidt (singer) (born 1990), German pop and jazz singer
* Schmidt (lunar crater), a small lunar impact crater
* Schmidt (Martian c ...
of the OCA at Calern, near the city of
Nice
Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one millionCCD camera and a software package were used for automated detection of moving objects.
Throughout its tenure, the project observed a total of 10,523 objects, made a total of 44,433 positional measurements, and was responsible for the discovery of more than a thousand asteroids according to the new rules issued by the MPC in October 2010. (The rules redefines who discovered a particular object. Previously, ODAS accounted for a total of 1020 asteroid discoveries). Among the discoveries are also 5
near-Earth asteroid
A near-Earth object (NEO) is any small Solar System body orbiting the Sun whose closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) is less than 1.3 times the Earth–Sun distance (astronomical unit, AU). This definition applies to the object's orbit aro ...
s and 8 Mars-crossers ''(without considering said rule)''. ODAS also ''recovered'' several objects that were previously lost and discovered the comet 198P/ODAS The discovered NEO's were
189011 Ogmios
Year 189 (Roman numerals, CLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Silanus and Silanus (or, less frequently, year 942 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomina ...
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.
Funct ...
(MPC) with the discovery of more than a thousand numbered minior planets during 1996–1999. The published list on ODAS project websiteNumbered O.D.A.S. Asteroids /ref> may significantly differ from the MPC, as newly numbered bodies have been added, while other bodies are not (anymore) credited to ODAS. For example, the discovery of the two listed asteroids on the ODAS website, and , are now officially credited to
Spacewatch
The Spacewatch Project is an astronomical survey that specializes in the study of minor planets, including various types of asteroids and comets at University of Arizona telescopes on Kitt Peak near Tucson, Arizona. The Spacewatch Project has be ...
Spaceguard
The term Spaceguard loosely refers to a number of efforts to discover, catalogue, and study near-Earth objects (NEO), especially those that may impact Earth ( potentially hazardous objects).
Asteroids are discovered by telescopes which repeated ...
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List of near-Earth object observation projects
List of near-Earth object observation projects is a list of projects that observe Near-Earth objects. Most are astronomical surveys intended to find undiscovered asteroids, and they sometimes find comets.
NEA by survey.svg, Annual NEA discoveri ...