Realistic visualization of solar system small bodies using Blender ray tracing software

AbstractThe formation and evolution of Solar System small bodies, in particular those in near-Earth orbits, is a complex problem which solution strongly depends on a better knowledge of their physical properties. To contribute to the international efforts in this direction the IMPACTON project (www.on.br/IMPACTON) set up a dedicated facility denominated Observatório Astronômico do Sertão de Itaparica (OASI). Using the 1-m telescope several dozens of NEAs were observed between March 2012 and October 2014. Here we will present the results obtained for 8 objects. Relative magnitudes were used to obtain lightcurves and derive rotational periods. Applying the inversion method developed by Kaasalainen and Torppa (2001) and Kaasalainen et al. (2001), along with lightcurves from literature, allowed to refine the rotational period of these asteroids as well as to derive their pole direction and shape. The obtained results confirm a lack of poles toward the ecliptic and with a majority of retrograde rotators. A more representative sample, however, is needed in order to drive robust conclusions.

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Comets and the Connection to Life

Symposium - International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s0074180900193386 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 213 ◽

pp. 263-270

Author(s):

K. J. Meech ◽

J. M. Bauer

Keyword(s):

Solar System ◽

Kuiper Belt ◽

Outer Solar System ◽

Evolutionary Processes ◽

Small Bodies ◽

Kuiper Belt Object ◽

Solar System Small Bodies

We present a summary of ground-based work being done to gain an understanding of primitive comet, Centaur and Kuiper belt object compositions. We are seeing a diversity of compositions in outer solar system small bodies with respect to the presence of water and organics which may reflect both primordial differences and evolutionary processes.

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Predicting the Solar System small bodies harvest of the BlackGEM Telescope Array

10.5194/epsc2020-896 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kateryna Frantseva ◽

Gijs A. Verdoes Kleijn ◽

Jasper Postema

Keyword(s):

Black Holes ◽

Solar System ◽

Optical Emission ◽

Wide Field ◽

Optical Telescope ◽

Small Bodies ◽

Telescope Array ◽

Trigger Mode ◽

Solar System Small Bodies ◽

Different Parts

*on behalf of the BlackGEM consortium BlackGEM is a Dutch-led wide-field optical telescope array dedicated to measure the optical emission from pairs of merging neutron stars and black holes. The array will start with three identical telescopes of 65 cm diameter, located at ESO La Silla, Chile. Each telescope is equipped with a 110 Mpix camera, consisting of a single 10.5k x 10.5k CCD, and covering 2.7 square degrees in one go, at 0.56 "/pix. The telescopes can work together as a single 3.6-meter telescope or look at different parts of the sky. The BlackGEM will perform four different science surveys and the BlackGEM Trigger Mode. The goal of our project is to estimate the potential of the BlackGEM telescope array for detecting various populations of the known Solar System small bodies, as well as for discovering the new ones. We create a software that simulates the BlackGEM surveys, determines the observability of the known Solar System small bodies, and determines the detectability of undiscovered objects with the BlackGEM array telescopes.

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