Help with identifying objects

[pberrett]

Hi all

I recently ordered a series of images of the dwarf planet Haumea and I noticed some faint objects moving in the pictures. They are probably faint stars but I'd like to know if they have been identified before.

How can I identify what those objects are by using online tools or using software?

Regards Peter

[Dennis]

Hi Peter

If the mount was auto guiding on a star, then the stars should generally be pin-points of light and not move in the frame. Any “faint moving objects” are likely to be asteroids in the same camera field of view.

I have attached an image I took of Haumea back in 2011 for information.

Cheers

Dennis

[malclocke]

This might be useful, allows you to check for solar system objects in a given field.

http://scully.cfa.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/checkmp.cgi

[pberrett]

Thanks Dennis, Malclocke

These are Hubble images and I have trimmed each image so that Haumea is in the centre of frame (for stacking purposes).

I presume then that the stars will move in the background all in the same direction and that anything that moves in a different direction is an asteroid, comet or alien spacecraft. :)

Thanks for the link Malclocke. I wonder whether there is a graphical equivalent anywhere which allows you to visually see these objects?

cheers Peter

[Astro_Bot]

That's no moon, it's a space station! :P

Seriously, though, I'm impressed with Dennis' capture of Haumea.

[pberrett]

One other thing

Let's say I find an object which is not previously known.

How do I calculate its orbit so that I can report it to the IAU?

cheers Peter

[Barrykgerdes]

You take accurate measurements of RA and Dec over a period. You will need at least three readings Taken over weeks rather than days, then you can feed them into a program that will calculate an orbit that fits your readings.
I have a sample program for calculating comet orbits but it is too big to attach.

I will split the zip into two parts. Read the document first

Barry

[pberrett]

Thanks for that.

The difficulty I have is that the objects I'm seeing are in one set of images taken on a single day. I can see that reporting such an object is going to be problematic.