Bibcode
Hergenrother, C. W.; Hill, Dolores H.; Spitz, Anna; Barucci, Maria Antonietta; Binzel, Richard P.; Beshore, Ed; Bottke, William; Brucato, John Robert; Clark, Beth E.; Cloutis, Edward; Connolly, Harold C.; Delbo, Marco; Dotto, Elisabetta; Ieva, Simone; Licandro, J.; Nolan, Michael C.; Perna, Davide; Sandford, Scott A.; Takir, Driss; Lauretta, Dante S.
Bibliographical reference
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #46, #213.04
Advertised on:
11
2014
Citations
0
Refereed citations
0
Description
OSIRIS-REx Target Asteroids! is an award-winning citizen science project
conducted as part of the Communications and Public Engagement program of
the NASA OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission. The project furthers
the study of near-Earth asteroids (NEA) and promotes interest among the
amateur astronomy community. The goal of Target Asteroids! is to expand
the pool of observers who can contribute to the characterization of
NEAs. We also seek to coordinate the observation of specific asteroids
in order to maximize the usefulness of the data and to minimize
duplication of effort.Target Asteroids! was originally focused on a list
of ~80 NEAs suitable for spacecraft sample return compiled by the
OSIRIS-REx science team. The list was constrained to NEAs with absolute
magnitude H < 21.5, perihelion distance > 0.8 AU, aphelion
distance < 2.0 AU and inclination < 8°. Since many
sample return targets are beyond the reach of typical amateur telescopes
(limiting magnitudes of ~14 to 20), the program was expanded to include
other objects, namely asteroids that shed light on the properties of
OSIRIS-REx target (101955) Bennu, bright NEAs making relatively close
approaches to Earth and radar target NEAs. An introductory paper on the
goals and methods of Target Asteroids! was published in the Minor Planet
Bulletin (Hergenrother & Hill, Minor Planet Bulletin 40, 164-166,
2013).Since 2012, over 100 participants with a wide range of
instrumentation and experience from around the world have contributed
photometry of 53 asteroids. While small telescope users cannot produce
high S/N observations for faint objects, they do have the advantage of
being able to make observations often. A large number of low S/N
observations are useful if made over different observing geometries.
Utilizing many photometric observations made at different times and
phase angles, small telescope users can produce direct measurements of
the phase function, absolute magnitude, broadband color, and rotation
period of NEAs. These parameters can be used to make determinations of
taxonomy, albedo, size and other physical parameters.