Download Catch an Asteroid - Odysseus Contest

“Engage and Inspire the European
Youth in the Space Exploration through
a Scientific Contest”
Coordination and Support Action FP7- 284442
European Education Contest for space research
“Odysseus”
Name of the project
Odysseus Contest
Catch an
Asteroid
Competing Category: Solar System
Name of the Team: Asteroid Hunters
Team members’ names:
Petar Daskalov – 11 grade,
Alexandar Ivanov – 11 grade
Ivan Popov – 10 grade
Teacher: Veselka Radeva
Astronomical Observatory and Planetarium, Varna, Bulgaria
Abstract (limit 200 words).
In the Solar System between Mars and Jupiter move thousands of huge rocks
– the asteroids. The astronomers research them for more than 200 years, yet
still we haven’t been able to discover and research all of them. But what we
do know for them gives us reason to believe that in the near future they will
be the main source of natural resources for the human civilization. The
biggest space agencies – ESA and NASA, have already achieved successful
missions to asteroids. In the project “Catch an Asteroid” we present our look
at a silicate asteroid, our telescopic observations of this object and the results
of the processing of the images. We tracked the movement of this asteroid
one night and measured its equatorial coordinates. We sent these data to the
Mino Planet Center in Harvard, where the asteroids’ astrometric observations
are gathered. Measuring the change of the asteroids’ radiance we found his
most important physical characteristic – its rotation period, which is 2.7072
hours. We gathered all known scientific information and based on everything
we knew, we made a proposition for a space mission to this asteroid. We
tracked its movement in the next 30 years and chose an appropriate moment
for the launch of the space probe.
That’s how we “caught” and “explored” our asteroid with one of Bulgaria’s
largest telescopes and then we planned its space “capture with a space probe
in a future space mission.
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Introduction – Description of the Problem (limit 200 words)
The human civilization explores the Solar System for more than 50 years.
Simultaneously with the progress of science and technologies, we are
depleting the resources of our planet – petrol, gas, ores and other natural
elements with diverse origin and composition.
The stable development of space technologies, combined with the energy and
resource problems on Earth makes the scientists to focus on one matter-rich
region in the Solar System – The Asteroid Belt [1]. The already known
asteroids, cataloged before December 2012 are 347 481 [2,3]. On one of
these objects is based our project – the asteroid 4844 Matsuyama (1991 BA2)
[4].
Our main task is to fill the missing scientific data for 4844 Matsuyama with
the results of our astrometric and photometric observations of this asteroid.
Thereby we will contribute to the elaboration of the orbit of the asteroid and
its rotation period.
One of the results, which we will achieve, is to contribute to the creation of a
detailed “image” of the object, which will allow the development of a real
space mission to this object. One future space mission includes exploration of
the asteroid from the Earth, creation of a space probe and a timeline for the
realization of the mission. The creation of portrait of the Matsuyama asteroid
is a preparation for the realization of the first part of one upcoming space
mission.
Hypothesis – Initial Ideas (limit 200 words)
We chose to research an object from the Main Asteroid Belt, which is between
Mars and Jupiter. The 4844 Matsuyama asteroid was found in 1991 from
Weda and Kaneda from Kushiro, Japan. Based on 1161 observations the
orbital elements of the asteroid were calculated. From them we found out,
that the asteroid rotates around the Sun for 4.08 years. Nearest to the sun is
at a distance of 1.9926327 AU (Astronomical Unit is the distance between the
Earth and the Sun) [4].
The asteroids are classified in 3 main groups – carbon (75%), silicate (15%)
and metal (5%). There are two types of asteroid classification, depending
from their composition: Tolen’s (based on photometrical observations) and
SMASSII (based on spectral observations) [5],[6]. The 4844 Matsuyama
asteroid is classified as carbon from its spectral observations [4].
Our research of this asteroid includes telescopic observations of the asteroid
in a few hours. From the gained asteroid images we define its equatorial
coordinates – ascension (α – alpha) and declination (δ – delta) – Image 1.
[7].
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Image 1. Equatorial Coordinates (http://astro-olymp.org/9.html)
We made observations of the asteroid for 6 hours with a telescope. The
images were processed with the “Astrometrica” software, through which we
identified the asteroid and found its equatorial coordinates [8]. The results
were sent to Minor Planet Center in Harvard for addition to the astronomical
database for this asteroid. The asteroid images were also processed with the
“MaxImDL” software for defining of the rotation period.
Project Methodology (limit 450 words)
Starting with our work on the project, we decided to act as one Space Agency
would - responsible, planning and considering all the steps and activities. We
divided the main activities in the team: studying (through literature and
internet resources), scientific research (astronomical observations of the
asteroid, astrometric and photometric processing of the observations in order
to determine the period of rotation), planning the activities of the research
mission to the asteroid, proposition for equipment of the probe, which will
explore the asteroid.
1. Research activity: The aim of this activity was to determine an asteroid for
the research.
In the literature [1, 4, 5, 6] we found motion information, orbital elements,
the asteroid families, the shape, size, chemical composition and classification
of the asteroids. For the choice of a suitable asteroid we put the following
criteria:
a) Chemical Composition: We chose to study a representative of the carbon
group. Their chemical composition is mainly from silicates, hydrated clay
minerals, organic polymers, magnetite and sulfides. [5, 6]
b) Orbital motion of the asteroid: We chose a representative of the inner part
of the Main Asteroid Belt (closer to Mars).
c) Space missions to asteroids. [10]: Carbon asteroids are a frequent subject
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of space exploration because they are full with useful for the industry
elements and compounds. That’s why we chose carbon asteroid.
2. Scientific research: Observations of asteroids with telescope, processing of
the telescopic images, calculation of the equatorial coordinates, determination
of the period of rotation of the asteroid
We conducted the observations during the International Astronomical
Summer School at the National Astronomical Observatory Rozhen [11] on the
night of 5.07.2012 with a 50/70 Schmidt telescope with SSD devices, Image 2
Image 2. Participators from the team in National Astronomical Observatory “Rozhen” during
the summer astronomical school when the asteroid was observed
(the photography is from the personal archive of V. Radeva)
The optical parameters of the telescope are: diameter Schmidt-plate -50 cm,
diameter of the spherical mirror - 70 cm focal length -172 cm, SSD-type
equipment is FLI PL 16803 [12] Image 3.
Img 3. Optical scheme of the Schmidt telescope (http://nao-rozhen.org/telescopes/fr17.htm)
We prepared ephemeris (table) with the coordinates of the object and
following the procedure for cooling the SSD camera focused the telescope on
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the area of the sky, where the asteroid was supposed to be. We got 96
images of the asteroid. We used red "R" filter, in which is the most sensitive
matrix of the SSD-camera. Each image was shot for 180 seconds.
We made preliminary imaging: removing the dark field and dividing the flat
field in order to clear the images of defects of various origins.
Using the computer program Astrometrika we identified the object. We
measured it and calculated its equatorial coordinates - ascension and
declination. We prepared a report for the Minor Planet Center at Harvard,
which contains information on the equatorial coordinates. Our results became
part of the asteroid movement database and contribute to a more precise
determination of the orbital elements.
Using the software MaxIMDL we made photometric processing of the asteroid
images. We measured the change in brightness of the asteroid due to its
rotation and that’s how we determined the rotation period of the asteroid.
We added all the information we discovered to the asteroid database and
based on it we developed the first stage of the future space mission to 4844
Matsuyama.
3. Space mission proposal.
We made a proposal for space mission to the asteroid through execution of a
few easily achieved activities in the next 10 years. Thanks to NASA’s Jet
Propulsion Laboratory we created a simulation for the asteroid’s movement in
the next 30 years [4]. That is how we managed to determine the
“appropriate” time for the space probe’s launch to our asteroid, the time
available for asteroid research and the time required for the trip back to the
Earth.
Conduction of Research (limit 450 words)
Subject of our research is the asteroid 4844 Mastsuyama. The examination
process of this asteroid has theoretical and practical part.
Theoretical part: Based on all the information we have about the asteroid, we
made a detailed portrait of the object. It contains both dynamic and physical
properties of the asteroid. On Image 4. are represented the asteroid’s orbital
elements, calculated based on the observations made from the discovery of
the asteroid to april, 2012 [4].
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Image 4. Orbital elements of the asteroid
(http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=4844+Matsuyama)
Based on the orbital elements and the information from NASA’s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory we created for the observation date the orbital diagram of the
asteroid, which shows the relative position of the asteroid to the Sun, Earth,
Mars and Jupiter.
Image 5. Orbital diagram of the asteroid.
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Based on again on the orbital elements and using the resources of the Minor
Planet Center we calculated the ephemeris – the table with the exact position
of the asteroid for the night of 5th July, 2012. We needed the ephemeris for
the conduct of the telescopic observations of the 4844 Matsuyama.
Image 6. Ephemeris of the asteroid
The Swiss astronomer Berend made photometrical observations of the
asteroid in 2004 and found its rotation period - P=2.7232 hours [14].
Table 7. Physical parameters of the asteroid from the NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
database (http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=4844+Matsuyama)
These were the only photometrical observations of this object, until we also
made in order to confirm its rotation period. For us was very important to find
out if our result is different from result of the Swiss astronomer. If it really
was, it could be explained with recent (during the last 8 years) collusions with
other bodies or change in the asteroid’s movement because of the Yarkovski
effect (under the influence of solar radiation the motion characteristics of the
asteroid change).
Through its spectral observations, the asteroid was classified as silicate
(according to the SMASSII classification)
Practical part:
1. Observation of the 4844 Matsuyama asteroid
We conducted the observation of the asteroid on the 5th July, 2012. Our team
began working on this project since the beginning of the summer school
vacation in 2012. The observations of this asteroid, the subject of our project
for the European contest Odysseus, were included as part of the observations
program of the Summer astronomical school of the Observatory of Varna.
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Image 6. Members of the team – participators in the Summer Astronomical school from 1 st to
10th July, 2012 in NAO Rozhen (personal photo-archive of V. Radeva)
Our team conducted the observation of the 4844 Matsuyama asteroid with
the Schmidt telescope of the National Astronomical Observatory Rozhen.
Image 7. Observations with the Schmidt telescope in NAO Rozhen
(personal photo-archive of V. Radeva)
Our team conducted the observation of the 4844 Matsuyama asteroid with
the Schmidt telescope of the National Astronomical Observatory Rozhen. The
preparation for the observation includes turning on the stars-tracking system
of the telescope, cooling of the CCD camera, preparation of the star catalogs
for the identification of the stars on the images, obtaining of special images
(“dark frame” and “flat field”) for clearing of the defects.
The control of the telescope and the camera for the obtaining of the
astronomical images was performed with the program MaxImDL. We used
only red filter and each image had 180 seconds exposition.
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Image 8. Control of the telescope and CCD-equipment for obtaining of astronomical images
with the MaxImDL software.
The observation continued 5 hours and the object was 30 degrees above the
horizon as the requirement is. That is how we obtained 96 images of this part
of the sky, where the asteroid was.
Image 9. “Bundle” of 96 CCD images of this part of the sky, where the asteroid is.
2. Proposal for a future space mission to the 4844 Matsuyama asteroid.
We carefully studied the movement of the asteroid in the next 30 years. We
suggest launching the space probe on 16th May, 2018.
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Image 10. Orbital diagram of the asteroid at the time, when the space probe will be launched
Image 11. Orbital diagram of the asteroid 2 years after the launch of the space probe.
The probe will speed up for 600 days until it reaches the speed of 15 480
km/h. It is recommendable for the probe to be equipped with ion engines. For
the whole acceleration time, the vessel will spend only 165 kg of the used as
fuel xenon gas. After every 4 days, the speed will increase with 100 km/h and
in the end it will reach the fantastic 36 620 km/h (this procedure was already
tested by the space mission DAWN to the Vesta asteroid in 2007). According
to our timeline the probe will reach its destination after 3 years (including the
speed-up time). After it arrives, it will stay in orbit around the asteroid for 4
months and then, around 15th January, 2021, it will begin the trip back to the
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Earth, which will take approximately 6 months. We plan to finish with the
examination and processing of the returned samples around 2023.
Image 12. Orbital diagram of the asteroid when the space probe approaches it.
Image 13. Orbital diagram of the asteroid at the time, when the probe begins the trip back to
Earth.
Analysis of Data (limit 500 words)
As a result of the telescopic observations of the asteroid, we obtained 96
digital images, For determining the equatorial coordinates of the asteroid and
its rotation period we followed a few steps:
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1. Finding the asteroid in the starfield.
We used the Astrometrica professional software for identification of the
asteroid among the stars in each image.
Image 14. The identified asteroid in the spacefield
2. Again using Astrometrica we found the equatorial coordinates ascension
and declination of the asteroid in each image.
Image 15. The procedure of equatorial coordinates identifying for each of the 96 images.
The results of our measurements were separated into an report and the
report was send to the Minor Planet Center in Harvard.
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Image 16. Report with part of the results from the astronomical measurements of the
asteroid.
3. The preparation for the photometry of the asteroid includes finding in star
catalogs of 5 reference stars with magnitude close to the asteroids’. They
must not be variable stars. We used the database of the ALADIN and Visier
catalogs in order to find appropriate reference stars.
We prepared a site with standard reference stars:
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Image 17. The site with the asteroid and reference stars.
4. Using the MaxImDL software we made photometry of the asteroid and
obtained a photometry file.
Image 18. Photometry of the asteroid.
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Image 19. Photometry file for the asteroid
With the PERSEA program we processed this file and received a Light Curve
and Phased Light Curve, we calculated the rotation period – P=2.7072 hours.
Image 20. Observation light curve of the asteroid, phased light curve and the calculated
rotation period.
Based on the photometry file we calculated that the rotation period is
P=0.112801 days, which is 2.7072 hours. The amplitude of the radiance is
0.449 m (m is the magnitude of the asteroid in the red filter).
That is how we managed to observe the 4844 Matsuyama asteroid and find
one of its most important physical characteristics – the rotation period.
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Discussion of the Findings (limit 300 words)
The most important part of our project are the observations of the 4844
Matsuyama asteroid and the image processing. Our leader, Doctor Radeva,
taught us how to work with big, professional telescope and CCD equipment
for obtaining of digital astronomical images. We “explored” the different
astronomical software products and processed our asteroid images with them.
We are working in a international student project for discovering and tracking
of asteroids for more than a year. We used our knowledge and experience
from this project for the measurement of the position of the asteroid among
the stars – we found its equatorial coordinates on each image because we
had experience in the measurement of asteroid coordinates from the
international student project. Using the astronomical software Astrometrica
we found the asteroid in each image and measured its ascension and
declination.
After this we prepared a report for the Minor Planet Center in Harvard. We
send it there, where all the astronomical observations are gathered – not only
from professional astronomers, but also from amateurs. Our measurements
were received and now are part of the database for the 4844 Matsuyama
asteroid. This was very important for us – knowing that our work, our
research was useful and will be used by the astronomers for survey of the
asteroid movement. The second most important part of the project was to
make photometry of all 96 images of the asteroid. We “explored” the
MaxImDL software and made photometry of the asteroid, comparing it to 5
other reference stars. The obtained photometry file was processed with the
PERSEA software and we receive through it the rotation period of the
asteroid. Our result is 2.7072 hours. 8 years ago, the Swiss astronomer
Berend calculated that the rotation period is 2.7232 hours. The difference
between ours and his results is 5.76 seconds. It is quite small for the time
interval between 2004 and 2012 and can be explained with gravitation
interferences from larger asteroids or the Yarkovski effect [15].
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Image 21. The Yarkovski effect could explain the slow-down of the asteroid’s rotation period
(http://osiris-rex.lpl.arizona.edu/?q=faq#t2n68)
We believe that our photometric measurements achieved quite good results
and we can say that we have determined all alone one of the most important
physical characteristics of the asteroids – the rotation period. Now, with our
astronomical observations, the rotation period and the known orbital elements
we have a full portrait of the 4844 Matsuyama asteroid. This will allow us to
prepare a future space mission to it and study it from close distance.
Conclusions (limit 200 words)
Few months long we worked like real astronomers, like a team of scientists in
a space agency. Our goal was to find everything known and unknown about
an asteroid, to observe it and determine ourselves the important for its
movement and nature parameters. We chose the 4844 Matsuyama asteroid
and observed it with one of the telescopes in the National Observatory
“Rozhen”. We measured its coordinates in 96 astronomical images. We made
photometry of the asteroid and found one of its most important
characteristics – the rotation period. Knowing its orbital elements,
contributing with our astronomical observations for the defining of its orbit,
knowing its composition and rotation period, we propose a plan for a future
space mission to this asteroid. Our proposal is based on the full asteroid
portrait and on the database of the asteroid, in the creation of which we also
have a contribution.
We called our project “Catch an Asteroid”. We think that we managed to
capture one – first with the big Schmidt telescope, and then through the
creation of a future space mission to it. Having the full portrait of the asteroid
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we managed to simulate its movement in the next few years and choose the
most appropriate time for the launch of a space probe to it. We planed this
mission so that it can gathered the most data possible as soon as possible –
the surface of the asteroid, its size, its composition, in less than 5 years. With
this space mission we will prepare for a future use of our object’s resources.
References
1. Asteroids: Formation, Discovery and Exploration,
http://www.space.com/51-asteroids-formation-discovery-andexploration.html
2. Minor Planet Names,
http://www.ipa.nw.ru/PAGE/DEPFUND/LSBSS/englenam.htm
3. Minor Planet Names: Alphabetical List
http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/lists/MPNames.html
4. JPL Small-Body Database Browser - 4844 Matsuyama (1991 BA2),
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=4844+Matsuyama
5. Tholen, D. J. , Asteroid taxonomic classifications. In Asteroids II (R. P.
Binzel, T. Gehrels, and M. S. Matthews, Eds), pp. 1139-1150. Univ. of
Arizona Press, Tucson, 1989.
6. Bus, S. J., Vilas, F. and Barucc, M. A., Visible-wavelength spectroscopy
of asteroids in Asteroids III, pp.169, University of Arizona Press, 2002.
7. National Astronomy Olympiad, Equatorial coordinates,
http://astro-olymp.org/9.html
8. Raab, H., Astrometrica – Shareware for research grade CCd Astrometry
http://www.astrometrica.at/
9. MaxIm DL : The Gold Standard,
www.cyanogen.com
10. ESA, Past missions to the asteroids,
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Technology/NEO/Past_missions
11. National astronomical observatory, Rozhen, Bulgaria,
http://nao-rozhen.org/index_bg.htm
12. 50/70 Schmidt telescope,
http://nao-rozhen.org/telescopes/fr17.htm
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13. Minor Planet & Comet Ephemeris Service
http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/MPEph/MPEph.html
14. Behrend, R., Asteroids and comets rotation curves, ChR,
http://obswww.unige.ch/~behrend/page5cou.html#004844
15. What is the Yarkovski effect?
http://osiris-rex.lpl.arizona.edu/?q=faq#t2n68
Gratitude:
We express our gratitude to Dr Tanyu Bonev, Dinko Dimitrov, Dr Galin
Borisov, Andon Kostov, Pencho Markischki, Vergil Iotov, Denitza Sainova for
the opportunity to work with the Observatory’s astronomical equipment, for
the advices, the discussions, the conversations – for showing us how
interesting and exiting the work of the astronomers can be!
We thank prof. Diana Kyurkchieva for the provided licensed computer
programs ASTROMETRICA and MaxImDL and for the support during the
preparation of our project.
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