MPC Observation (Astrometry toolbar)

After you have positively identified a minor planet on three or more images, you may wish to report this observation to the International Astronomical Union (IAU). For each image that contains a minor planet, do the following:

 

  1. Load the FITS image that contains the minor planet(s). Make sure that the image contains World Coordinate System/AutoAstrometry information by clicking Research | Insert WCS/AutoAstrometry first.

  2. Click the MPC Observation button () on the Astrometry toolbar. This causes the cursor to change from the pointer arrow to a cross hair.

  3. Click on the image to identify the minor planet. You may need to magnify the image by zooming in first. This will display the “Convert Date of Observation” to UTC dialog box. If the date of the minor planet or comet observation is not specified in Universal Time, enter your Time Zone to make this adjustment automatically. Click Adjust to modify the FITS header with UTC, or click Do Not Adjust to keep image’s current time.

  4. The Minor Planet Center Optical Astrometric Observation dialog box contains options for completing the IAU-formatted report. See the following for details.

Convert 'Date of Observation' to UTC dialog box

Convert 'Date of Observation' to UTC dialog box

 

Minor Planet Center Optical Astrometric Observation dialog box

Minor Planet Center Optical Astrometric Observation dialog box

 

Control

Description

Type:

Minor Planet or Comet

Click the type of object to include in the IAU report text file.

Tag:

Number or Designation

Click Number, then enter the catalog number of the comet or minor planet if known. Click Designation and then enter your observatory code here.

 

By default, CCDSoft uses the three letter prefix “BSQ” for the minor planet report designation. To change this setting:

 

  1. Click Start | Run | Regedit.

  2. Navigate to and highlight the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Software Bisque\CCDSoft\MPC

  3. Click Edit | New | String Value and the enter DesignationPrefix for the name of the string value.

  4. Highlight this new value, then click Edit | Modify. In the Value Data text box, enter the desired three-letter prefix for your report, then click OK.

  5. Click Registry | Exit (or File | Exit under XP).

 

Note 1

 

 

Enter any notes about the observation in this text box.

Note 2

Enter any additional notes in this text box.

Discovery

Mark this option if this observation is a new discovery.

Date of observation

Displays the date of the observation (DATE-OBS FITS keyword).

Observed RA

Displays the right ascension of the center of the image.

Observed Dec

Displays the declination of the center of the image.

Magnitude

Enter the magnitude of the object, if known.

 

Band

Enter the type of filter used (if any).

Add to Observation List

Click the button to add this object to the current list of objects in the IAU observation report.

Observation list

 

 Displays the contents of the IAU text file.

New

Creates a new report file.

Open

Opens an existing report.

Save

Saves the current report to a text file.

 

Save As

Saves the current report under a new file name.

 

The reports should be submitted via email to mpc@cfa.harvard.edu.