description Spacewatch Overview
Spacewatch is an astronomical survey program founded in 1980 by astronomer Tom Gehrels and operated by the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. Based at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, it was one of the first automated surveys to use CCD detectors for the systematic discovery and tracking of asteroids and comets. The program has discovered tens of thousands of minor planets and contributed to near-Earth object monitoring efforts.
help Spacewatch FAQ
What is the Spacewatch project and what does it do?
Spacewatch is a pioneering astronomical survey program dedicated to discovering and tracking asteroids and comets, operated by the University of Arizona since 1980. Based at Kitt Peak National Observatory in southern Arizona, it was one of the first systematic automated searches for near-Earth objects.
What has Spacewatch discovered over its history?
Spacewatch has discovered thousands of asteroids, including numerous near-Earth objects, main-belt asteroids, and comets. It was also among the first programs to use charge-coupled devices (CCDs) for electronic detection of moving objects in the night sky.
Where does Spacewatch operate its telescopes?
Spacewatch operates telescopes at Kitt Peak National Observatory in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona. The facility is managed through the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in Tucson.
How did Spacewatch influence later asteroid survey programs?
Spacewatch's automated detection techniques helped establish the methodology that later programs such as LINEAR, the Catalina Sky Survey, and Pan-STARRS built upon. Its pioneering work in the 1980s and 1990s helped launch the modern era of systematic near-Earth object surveys.
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