Department of Physics


Department of Physics Apple - Gravity

Phone (701) 231-8974, fax (701) 231-7088


Seminar Abstract

April 9, 2003:

"Creation of Asteroid Light Curves Using CCD Photometry"

Michael Olson
Department of Physics
North Dakota State University

Obtaining light curves of asteroids proves to be challenging research that involves a mastery of astronomical image processing. Dr. Walter Worman and I focus our asteroid research on main belt asteroids. CCD images are taken of these asteroids at the Regional Science Center's Buffalo River Site, which holds a computer controlled 16" Cassegrain telescope used for this research. I will discuss how to obtain light curves for asteroids, and in particular I will focus on a recently completed light curve of the asteroid 1248 Jugurtha.