DETECTING NEAR EARTH OBJECTS
Its large field-of-view (FOV) of 5 degrees² and its deep
limiting magnitude is well positioned to detect near Earth Asteroids
(NEA's) that may threaten our civilization. These objects move
very fast and are very dim thus making THEM very difficult to
detect. The key to detection is to survey large areas of the sky
as quickly and deeply as possible. The fainter the objects than
can be detected, than smaller and further out the objects than
can be detected.
|
Program
|
OMI
|
Spacewatch
|
Spacewatch
|
NEAT
|
NEAT
|
LEONOS
|
LINEAR
|
CSS
|
BISEI
|
|
Aperture(m)
|
1.0
|
0.9
|
1.8
|
1.2
|
1.2
|
0.6
|
1
|
0.68
|
0.5
|
|
f number
|
2.5
|
3
|
2.7
|
1.9
|
2.5
|
1.9
|
2.2
|
1.9
|
1.9
|
|
Telescope type
|
prime
|
prime
|
folded
|
prime
|
Schmidt
|
Schmidt
|
folded
|
Schmidt
|
Cass.
|
|
Array Dimensions
|
10580x10560
|
2048x4603 x4
|
2048x2048
|
4080x4080
|
4080x4080x3
|
2048x2048x2
|
1960x2560
|
4096x4096
|
2048x2048x2
|
|
Pixel size (um)
|
9
|
13.5
|
24
|
15
|
15
|
13.5
|
24
|
15
|
15
|
|
Pixel size (arcsec)
|
0.76
|
1
|
1
|
1.4
|
1
|
2.5
|
2.25
|
2.5
|
3.2
|
|
FOV (deg)
|
4.94
|
2.9
|
0.3
|
2.5
|
3.8
|
8.3
|
2
|
8.3
|
3.1
|
|
Cooling (ºC)
|
-100
|
-90
|
-90
|
-20
|
-40
|
-130
|
-50
|
-100
|
-100
|
|
Readout mode
|
stare
|
stare
|
ds/stare
|
stare
|
stare
|
stare
|
stare
|
stare
|
stare
|
|
CCD type
|
thin
|
thin
|
thin
|
thick
|
thick
|
thin
|
thin
|
thick
|
thin
|
|
Exposure (sec)
|
48
|
120
|
150
|
20
|
60
|
45
|
5
|
30
|
23
|
|
Magnitude Limit
|
23v
|
21.7
|
22.64
|
19.5
|
21v
|
19.3v
|
19.2
|
20v
|
19
|
|
Coverage (deg²/h)
|
300
|
29
|
7.4
|
174
|
174
|
400
|
1050
|
194
|
|
|
Number of visits
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
4
|
|
|
NEA discovered
|
|
584
|
440
|
289
|
2089
|
1584
|
180 (other)
|
|
NEA discovered/yr
|
|
42
|
31
|
21
|
149
|
113
|
10 (other)
|
|
Current NEO programs compared to a potential
program (table adapted from Near-Earth Asteroid Search Programs,
Stokes, Larson, Uni. Arizona).
|
The MHO is well extremely well positioned compared to existing
NEA surveys. It will have significant one-site computing power
to permit real time image analysis and data extraction.
|
Mag r'
|
Exp. (s) s/n=3
|
Exp. (s) s/n=10
|
Exp. (s) s/n=50
|
|
19
|
0.27
|
1.46
|
29
|
|
20
|
0.73
|
4.5
|
97
|
|
21
|
2.21
|
17.4
|
405
|
|
22
|
8.5
|
81
|
2013
|
|
23
|
43
|
456
|
11,275
|
|
24
|
247
|
2710
|
68,351
|
|
25
|
1526
|
16,755
|
422,641
|
|
26
|
9,435
|
105,672
|
-
|
|
27
|
59,505
|
666,463
|
-
|
|
Anticipated limiting magnitude vs. exposure
|
|
