Astrometry of Fast Moving Objects Using Tangra

Affiliation(s): Astronomical Society of NSW, International Occultation Timing Association

Session details: Sunday, 2012-04-08 03:30:00, TBA

Abstract

Hristo Pavlov first told us of his development of software to obtain accurate astrometry of fast-moving objects (such as near-earth asteroids) using video techniques back in NACAA XXIV. Video of asteroid 2009 DD45 in early 2009 (which moved at several arc seconds per second at closest approach) was used to obtain astrometry of this asteroid. The astrometry was precise, and led to the techniques required to use video for astrometry being written up and published on the web site of the Minor Planet Center. Two years on, Tangra is well established and this update will complete the journey from concept to completion.

Biography

Hristo has been an active occultation observer since 2007 with more than a dozen video-recorded asteroidal occultations. He has been a presenter at many Trans Tasman Symposia on Occultations (TTSO). He is also the author of Occult Watcher, a popular planning software utility used by observers of asteroidal occultations. This was presented for the very first time at the 1st TTSO in Auckland, New Zealand in 2007. Hristo also has interests in photometry and astrometry of asteroids and comets and has been developed a software package for video photometry and astrometry, Tangra, that was unveiled at the 4th TTSO in Canberra in 2010.