Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the Sun. Most are located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. This area of our Solar System is known as the Asteroid Belt. However, the orbits of some asteroids bring them much closer to Earth. These are known as Near Earth Objects or NEOs.
Astronomers track NEOs in case they could be a threat to our planet in the future. This project provides you with real data from the Liverpool Telescope and other telescopes. Your job is to search for NEOs in the images and report back on their positions. The results will help us work out if any of the asteroids could be a threat to Earth.
By the end of this activity you will:
- Have searched for asteroids yourself
- Have measured the positions of any NEOs you detect
- Have reported your results
To complete this activity you will need:
- The Asteroid Watch research project webpages
- To have already completed our Hunting for Asteroids activity
IT equipment:
- Internet access
- Image Software that can open astronomical data files
Credit: NASA JPL/Caltech
Have a go
Your challenge is to find and report the positions of NEOs!
Visit the Asteroid Watch research project. Use the items in the menu to:
- Remind yourself how to detect asteroids.
- Learn how to measure their positions.
- Download real observations to check for asteroids.
- Report your results