StAnD Asteroid Search Campaigns

A ‘campaign’ is a month-long event in which teams search for asteroids. Participants will use software to analyse image sets acquired with the Pan-STARRS telescopes in Hawaii and search for new asteroids, potentially making important observations of near-Earth objects.

Participants will learn to distinguish between true and false signatures of moving objects, as not all objects that appear to move in the image sets are asteroids. For an object to be accepted as a true signature, it must have three characteristics:

Once a moving object has been detected, participants will measure the object’s position and brightness in each of the four images in the image set and submit a report on the IASC StAnD campaign page. 

Therefore, it’s important to understand how to use the software (Astrometrica), identify true and false signatures (i.e. not all moving things are asteroids) and prepare a clean and accurate report.

The StAnD team will provide teachers online training and support to successfully carry out Asteroid Search Campaigns in schools throughout Europe!

• Download and install Astrometrica. Note that this software works only on Windows operating systems.
• Download the practice images sets.
• Read the supporting documentation: Astrometrica Installation Instructions, Instructions for Using Astrometrica, Asteroid Signature Guide, and Reporting Guidelines. These documents provide important information on how to use Astrometrica, identify true and false signatures and prepare the reports.

Here are some videos on YouTube that will help you in entering the exciting world of asteroid search:

📹 How To Install Astrometrica for an IASC Campaign

📹 How To Submit An MPC Report on the IASC Website

Astrometrica Tutorials

📹 In English

📹 In Portuguese

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