First Astrometric Observations of Near-Earth Asteroids at the UBT60 Telescope of Akdeniz University


IVANTSOV A., KAPLAN M., BAKIŞ V., EKER Z., TUNÇ E., ASLAN G.

Türk Fizik Derneği 34. Uluslararası Fizik Kongresi, Muğla, Turkey, 5 - 09 September 2018, pp.204

  • Publication Type: Conference Paper / Summary Text
  • City: Muğla
  • Country: Turkey
  • Page Numbers: pp.204
  • Akdeniz University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The newly erected UBT60 telescope (D=0.61 m, F=3.96 m) at the mountain site of TUBITAK National Observatory is equipped with CCD camera Apogee Alta U47, the standard photometric Johnson-Cousins UBVRcIc and Sloan u’g’r’i’z’ filters for direct imaging. Astrometric measurements of near-Earth asteroids at the moments of their close encounters with the Earth, while they are fast moving objects, can reveal a possible timing error in observations. We provide analysis of the differences (O-C) in astrometric positions measured so far using the JPL NASA HORIZONS ephemerides. The telescope can be successfully exploited for accurate astrometric measurements if the regular calibration of the field’s of view distortion is provided.