Appendix B. Resources
Listed here are websites and mailing lists which will help the reader to further their knowledge of the topics covered in this book.
An internet search on ‘asteroids’ will yield over 650000 hits – too many to include all of them here! This list may differ slightly from
that in the book as recent additions, deletions and changes have been incorporated.
I haven’t attempted to list telescopes or imagers as there are just too many combinations (and too many manufacturers and suppliers)
to do so, as you will have seen from the examples in this book and the multiplicity of advertisements in astronomy magazines and on
the internet. To help you make your choice do talk to the more experienced amateurs, go along to your local astronomy group or
contact your national organization who will be able to give you advice.
Amateur astronomers and observatories
Table B.8. Websites – Amateurs astronomers and observatories
Name
Clickable link
Ansbro E. – Kingsland Observatory
Kingsland Observatory
Birtwhistle P. – Great Shefford Observatory
Great Shefford Observatory
Cahill A.
Mount Abbeydale Observatory
Črni Vrh Observatory
Črni Vrh Observatory
Fletcher J, – Mount Tuffley Observatory
Mount Tuffley Observatory
Higgins D. – Hunters Hill Observatory
E14 Home
Hunter T. – Grasslands Observatory
Grasslands Observatory
James N.
British Astronomical Association : I&I Section : Nick James’ Observatory
Kurti S.
Rebrícek amatérskych astronómov - objavitelov asteroidov z archívu SkyMorph
Langbroek M.
The Website of Marco Langbroek - stone age archaeology, Dutch meteorites, meteor astronomy
 Guide to recovering/discovering objects in the NEAT archive Guide to recovering/discovering objects in the Skymorph / NEAT archive
Lowe A.
Andrew Lowe's Minor Planet Home Page
McGaha J. – Sabino Canyon Observatory
Sabino Canyon Observatory
Mobberley M.
http://martinmobberley.co.uk/
Peterson C. – Cloudbait Observatory
Cloudbait Observatory Home
Observatorio Nazaret
observatorio nazaret J47
Robson M. – John J. McCarthy Observatory
J.J. McCarthy Home Page
Saxton J.
Welcome to John's web pages.
http://www.lymmobservatory.net/ccd/photometrysoftware/photometrysoftware/photsoft.htm
 LYMM Photometry Software
1
Shed of Science
Stevens J. and B. – Desert Moon Observatory
Sunflower Observatory
Sussenbach J
Tucker R. A. – Goodricke-Piggott Observatory
Warner B. D. – Palmer Divide Observatory
Shed of Science
Desert Moon Observatory Home Page
Lightcurves
PROCYON Astronomy
gpobs
Palmer Divide Observatory - Asteroid and Variable Star Lightcurves
Calendars, Catalogs, Finder Charts and Surveys
Table B.9. Websites – Calendars, Catalogs, Finder Charts and Surveys
Name
Aladin
CalSky
Heavens Above
NASA Space Calendar
Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)
Small Main-Belt Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey (SMASS)
Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)
 Digitized Sky Survey (DSS)
United States Naval Observatory (USNO) Image and Catalog Archive Server
VizieR
 Carlsberg Meridian Catalog 14 (CMC14)
Clickable link
The Aladin Sky Atlas
http://www.calsky.com/
Heavens-Above Home Page
Space Calendar (JPL)
Sloan Digital Sky Survey
SMASS - Small Main-Belt Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey
The Institute
The STScI Digitized Sky Survey
USNO Image and Catalog Archive Server — Naval Oceanography Portal
VizieR Service
Catalogue Selection Page
Data and information sites
(a) Asteroids and dwarf planets in general
Table B.10. Websites – Data and information sites, (a) Asteroids and dwarf planets in general
Name
Clickable link
Atlas of mean motion resonances
ATLAS OF MEAN MOTION RESONANCES IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
Asteroid (and Comet) Groups
Asteroid (and Comet) groups
Asteroid Comet Connection
Earth's Busy Neighborhood
Asteroid – Dynamic Site (AstDyS)
AstDyS
Asteroid masses
http://home.earthlink.net/~jimbaer1/astmass.txt
BAA Asteroids and Remote Planets Section
http://britastro.org/asteroids
2
The Belt of Venus
Description of the System of Asteroids
Dwarf planets
How Gauss Determined The Orbit of Ceres
CCD Observing Manual (AAVSO)
IAU – definition of Pluto-like objects
IAU – planetary definitions
IAU – Pluto and the developing landscape of our Solar System
Minor Planet Center (MPC)
 Guide to Minor Body Astrometry
 Minor Planet and Comet Ephemeris Service
 Minor Planet Electronic Circulars (MPECs)
– MPChecker
– NEO Confirmation Page (NEOCP)
 Submission Information
Project Pluto
 Minor Planet Groups
Skymorph
Small Body Distance Triangulation Calculator
Updated Ephemeredes of Minor Planets
Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Planetary System Group
 Asteroids
Belt of Venus
http://astrosurf.com/map/us/AstFamilies2004-05-20.htm
Dwarf Planets
http://www.schillerinstitute.org/fid_97-01/982_orbit_ceres.pdf
AAVSO: CCD Observing Manual
Plutoid chosen as name for Solar System objects like Pluto | Press Releases | IAU
IAU 2006 General Assembly: Result of the IAU Resolution votes | Press Releases | IAU
Pluto and the Solar System | IAU
IAU Minor Planet Center
Guide to Minor Body Astrometry
Minor Planet & Comet Ephemeris Service
Recent MPECs
MPChecker: Minor Planet Checker
The NEO Confirmation Page
MPC Submission Information
Project Pluto
Minor planet groups/families
SkyMorph Home Page
http://heliospheric-labs.com/obs/calc.html
EPHEMERIDIES OF MINOR PLANETS (EMP)
Uppsala Planetary System Group
Asteroids
(b) Binary asteroids
Table B.11. Websites – Data and information sites, (b) Binary asteroids
Name
Asteroids with satellites
List des asteroids binaires
Minor Planet Satellite Database
Orbits of Binary Asteroids with Adaptive Optics
Clickable link
Asteroids with satellites
IMCCE - Ephemerids
Minor Planet Satellite Database
Orbits of Binary Asteroids
c) Impacts
Table B.12. Websites – Data and information sites, (c) Impacts
3
Name
Armagh Observatory
 Near Earth Object Impact Hazard
Earth Impact Database
University of Arizona, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
 Earth Impacts Effects Program
Holocene Impact Working Group (HIWG)
Impact Field Studies Group
Lunar and Planetary Institute
 Terrestrial Impact Craters, Second Edition
NASA Ames Research Center, Asteroid and Comet Impact Hazards
 Torino Impact Scale
NASA JPL NEO Program
 Sentry Risk Table
Clickable link
Armagh Observatory
Impact Hazard
Earth Impact Database
The University of Arizona | Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
Earth Impact Effects Program
Holocene Impact Working Group
Impact Field Studies Group - Home Page
Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI)
Terrestrial Impact Craters Slide Set
Asteroid Comet Impact Hazards
Torino Impact Scale
Welcome To The Near Earth Object Program
Current Impact Risks
(d) Lightcurves
Table B.13. Websites – Data and information sites, (d) Lightcurves
Name
ALPO Minor Planets Section
– Minor Planet Bulletin
Astronomical Society of Las Cruces
 Minor Planet Lightcurve Data
Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL)
Geneva Observatory – Asteroids and comets rotation curves
Koronis Family Asteroids Rotation Lightcurve Observing Program
Ondrejov Asteroid Photometry Project
Photometry of Asteroids at The Belgrade Astronomical Observatory
Clickable link
Minor Planets Section
http://www.minorplanetobserver.com/mpb/default.htm
About the ASLC
Fred Pilcher's Minor Planet Lightcurves
CALL Homepage
CdR&CdL: Courbe de rotation et luminosité d'astéroïdes, de comètes et d'étoiles variables
Koronis Family Asteroids Rotation Lightcurve Observing Program
Ondrejov Asteroid Photometry Project
Vladimir Benishek
(e) Near Earth Asteroids/Objects
Table B.14. Websites– Data and information sites, (e) Near Earth Asteroids/Objects
Name
B612 Foundation
B612 FOUNDATION
4
Clickable link
European Asteroid Research Node
Near Earth Objects Dynamics (NEODyS)
Spaceguard
– Priority List
Alain Maury
 NEO discovery statistics 2002
 NEO discovery statistics 2003
 NEO discovery statistics 2004
 NEO discovery statistics 2005
 NEO discovery statistics 2006
 NEO discovery statistics 2007
European Asteroid Research Node
NEODyS
The Spaceguard Foundation home page
Spaceguard System
Alain Maury
Spaceguard
Spaceguard2003.html
Spaceguard2004.html
Spaceguard2005.html
Spaceguard2006.html
Spaceguard2007.html
(f) Occultations
Table B.15. Websites – Data and information sites, (f) Occultations
Name
Asteroidal Occultation Reports Database
Asteroid Occultation Updates (Steve Preston)
BREIT IDEAS Observatory
Drift-scan timing of asteroid occultations
Euraster
European Asteroid Occultation Network (EAON)
International Occultation Timing Association (IOTA)
RASNZ Occultation Section
SAF Occultations, Eclipses and Transits
Clickable link
OccRepDB»Submit
Asteroid Occultation Predictions (Current)
BREIT IDEAS Observatory
Drift-Scan Timing of Asteroid Occultations
euraster.net - European Asteroidal Occultations
EAON
IOTA Main Table of Contents
Occultation Section - Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand
SAF planetary observations comission
(h) Phase curves and absolute magnitude
Table B.16. Websites – Data and information sites, (h) Phase curves and absolute magnitude
Name
Clickable link
ALPO Minor Planets Section
Minor Planets Section
Magnitude Alert Project (MAP)
 Magnitude Alert Project (MAP)
– Minor Planet Bulletin
http://www.minorplanetobserver.com/mpb/default.htm
5
Professional astronomers and observatories
Table B.17. Websites – Professional astronomers and observatories
Name
Arecibo Observatory
Bland P.
Bottke W.
Brown, M
Bruton D.
Camarillo Observatory
European Southern Observatory (ESO)
Fitzsimmons A.
Jewitt D.
Kaasalainen M.
Kidger M.
Klet Observatory
Kretlow M.
Lowell Observatory
 Asteroid services
Scotti J.
Skymapper
Clickable link
Arecibo Observatory Home Page
Phil Bland
William Bottke Publications
Astronomer Mike Brown
Minor Planet Observatory 740
Camarillo Observatory
ESO
Prof. Alan Fitzsimmons
David Jewitt
Asteroid models
astrometria y fotometria cometaria
Klet' Observatory & KLENOT Project
sky-lab.net - Start - About
Lowell Observatory
Asteroid Data Services by Lowell Observatory
Jim Scotti
ANU - Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics - SkyMapper
Robotic observatories
Table B.18. Websites – Robotic observatories
Name
Bradford Robotic Telescope
Global Rent-A-Scope (GRAS)
San Pedro de Atacama Celestial Explorations (SPACE)
Sierra Stars Observatory Network (SSON)
Skylive
SLOOH
Clickable link
Bradford Robotic Telescope
Global Rent-a-Scope | Home
SPACE
Sierra Stars Observatory
Skylive - Remote Telescopes - Telescopi Remoti
SLOOH - Your Live Online Observatory
Search projects
6
Table B.19. Websites – Search projects
Name
Catalina Sky Survey (CSS)
EURONEAR
Japanese Spaceguard Center
 Bisei Spaceguard Center
 Kamisaibara Spaceguard Center
Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)
Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR)
Lowell Observatory Near-Earth-Object Search (LONEOS)
Near Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT)
Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS)
Spacewatch
 Spacewatch Fast Moving Object Project
UAO-DLR Asteroid Survey (UDAS)
Clickable link
Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) Homepage
EURONEAR : HomePage
http://www.spaceguard.or.jp/bsgc_jsf/pamphlet/index.htm
http://www.spaceguard.or.jp/bsgc_jsf/pamphlet/kogaku-e.htm
http://www.spaceguard.or.jp/bsgc_jsf/pamphlet/radar-e.htm
LSST—Home
MIT Lincoln Laboratory: LINEAR
Lowell Observatory Near-Earth-Object Search (LONEOS)
NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID TRACKING
Pan-Starrs - Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System - Institute for
Astronomy, University of Hawaii
The Spacewatch Project
http://fmo.lpl.arizona.edu/FMO_home/index.cfm
The UAO - DLR Asteroid Survey
Software
Please note that some packages may contain features other than those indicated by the table headings. Electronic cameras (CCD,
DSLR and video) will come with their own software but most, if not all, will work with other packages. For example I use Megastar to
point my telescope and Astroart to obtain the images.
(a) Astrometry and photometry
Table B.20. Websites – Software, (a) Astrometry and photometry
Name
AIP4WIN
Astroart
Astrometrica
Iris
Mira AL
PinPoint
Clickable link
The Handbook of Astronomical Image Processing with AIP4Win Software by
Richard Berry and James Burnell
Astroart 4.0
Welcome to the Astrometrica Homepage
Iris software
Mira AL
PinPoint Astrometric Engine
7
(b) Celestial mechanics
Table B.21. Websites – Software, (b) Celestial mechanics
Name
Comet/Asteroid Orbit Determination and Ephemeris Software (CODES)
Find_Orb
OrbFit
Solex
Clickable link
Comet/asteroid Orbit Determination and Ephemeris Software
Find_Orb Orbit determination software
OrbFit Software
Solex
(c) DSLR and video
Table B.22. Websites – Software, (c) DSLR and video
Name
Astrostack
DeepSkyStacker
Registax
Virtual Dub
Clickable link
Welcome to AstroStack - Astronomy image stacking software download freeware demo
DeepSkyStacker - Free
RegiStax- Free image processing software
Welcome to virtualdub.org! - virtualdub.org
(d) Integrated packages
Table B.23. Websites – Software, (d) Integrated packages
Name
Diffraction Limited
 Cloud Sensor
 MaxDome II
 Maxim DL
 MaxPoint
Minor Planet Observer
 Asteroid Viewing Guide
– Canopus
 Connections
 LCInvert
Clickable link
Cyanogen Imaging Products from Diffraction Limited
Cyanogen Imaging Products from Diffraction Limited
Cyanogen Imaging Products from Diffraction Limited
Cyanogen Imaging Products from Diffraction Limited
Cyanogen Imaging Products from Diffraction Limited
Minor Planet Observer / Palmer Divide Observatory - MPO Software
MPO Viewing Guide
MPO Canopus
MPO Connections
MPO LCInvert
8
(e) Observatory control
Table B.24. Websites – Software, (e) Observatory control
Name
ACP Observatory Control
Omega Lab Astronomy Programs and Observatory Control
Remote Administrator (RADMIN)
Clickable link
ACP Observatory Control Software
http://www.omegalab-atc.com/
PC Remote Control Software and Remote Access Software: Control Remote PC
Securely, Transfer Files, Share Remote Desktop, Access Remote PC from
Anywhere, Perform System Administration
(f) Occultations
Table B.25. Websites – Software, (f) Occultations
Name
Light Measurement tool for Occultation Observation (LIMOVIE)
Occult Watcher
Scanalyser, Scantracker
Clickable link
Light Measurement tool for Occultation Observation using VIdeo rEcorder.
Occult Watcher
Drift-Scan Timing of Asteroid Occultations
(g) Planners and planetarium programs
Table B.26. Websites – Software, (g) Planners and planetarium programs
Name
Clickable link
Asteroid
Asteroid Home Page
Astroplanner
AstroPlanner
Guide
Project Pluto
Megastar
http://www.willbell.com/software/megastar/index.htm
Sat_ID
Satellite identification program for astrometrists
Skymap
SkyMap Pro 11 | The Sky is no longer the limit | Official UK Distributor
(h) Time synchronization
Table B.27. Websites – Software, (h) Time synchronization
Name
Chronos Atomic Clock Synchronizer
Clickable link
http://download.cnet.com/Chronos-Atomic-Clock-Synchronizer/3000-2350_4-
9
CNS Systems TAC32
Dimension 4
TimeSync
10861687.html?tag=mncol%3blst
Tac32 Software for the CNS Clock
Thinking Man Software - Dimension 4 v5.0
TimeSync
Space agencies
Table B.28. Websites – Space agencies
Name
European Space Agency (ESA)
Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
National AeroSpace Agency (NASA)
 Astrophysics Data System
– Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
– Asteroid Radar Research
– Horizons
– Near Earth Object Program
– What’s Observable
 Lunar and Planetary Science
 NEO Survey and Deflection. Analysis of Alternatives
 NASA Science
 Planetary Data System (PDS)
– Small Bodies Node
Clickable link
ESA Portal
ISAS | Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
NASA - Home
SAO/NASA ADS: ADS Home Page
Space, Stars, Mars, Earth, Planets and More - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Asteroid Radar Research
HORIZONS Web-Interface
Welcome To The Near Earth Object Program
SB What's Observable
Lunar and Planetary Science at the NSSDC
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/171331main_NEO_report_march07.pdf
NASA Science
Welcome to the Planetary Data System
The Small Bodies Node
Space telescopes and missions
Table B.29. Websites – Space telescopes and missions
Name
Dawn
Don Quijote
Gaia
Hayabusa
HIgh Precision PARallax Collecting Satellite (HIPPARCOS),
Hubble Space Telescope
MErcury Surface Space ENvironment GEochemistry and Ranging
Clickable link
Dawn Mission Home Page
ESA Portal - ESA selects targets for asteroid-deflecting mission Don Quijote
ESA - Space Science - Gaia overview
ISAS | Asteroid Exploration HAYABUSA (MUSES-C) / Missions
ESA Science & Technology: Hipparcos
HubbleSite -- Out of the ordinary...out of this world.
MESSENGER Web Site
10
(MESSENGER)
Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR)
Near Earth Object Surveillance SATellite (NEOSSAT)
New Horizons
Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification and SecurityRegolith Explorer mission (OSIRIS-Rex)
Rosetta
SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)
Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)
Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Mission
Home | NEOSSat
New Horizons Web Site
Office of the Chief Technologist
ESA Science & Technology: Rosetta
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Homepage
WISE: Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer
Mailing lists
Table B.30. Mailing lists
Name
Minor Planet Mailing List
Planoccult
Clickable link
mpml : A list for asteroid and comet researcher
To subscribe contact Pierre Vingerhoets at Pierre.Vingerhoets@telenet.be or Jan Van Gestel at jan@vangestel.be
11