La Cañada Observatory, is an initiative by Juan Lacruz, the observatory started astrometric operations in the summer of 2002, it is registered as station J87 in the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union.

The Observatory also participates in the studies on minor bodies promoted by the Group on Meteorites, Minor Bodies, and Planetary Sciences of the Institute of Space Sciences (CSIC-IEEC).



Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Amor object 2011 MY2

An object posted on the NEOCP has been confirmed from various observatories including La Cañada.
Observations conducted remotely over the internet from Madrid with the 0.40m Ritchie-Chretien telescope at La Cañada observatory on the night of the Monday 2011-June-27 confirm this as an Amor object.
The discovery and confirmation followup observations available at the Electronic circular MPEC 2011-M48

Monday, June 27, 2011

Echeclus is back to quiescence, 2011-June-25

After a few days of cometary activity centaur Echeclus is back to the quiescent state and doesn't show any trace of coma in this stacked composition of 13 images 2 minutes each taken from La Cañada Observatory J87 the night of June the 25th.

Two NEOCP objects confirmed, 2011-06-26

Two objects posted on the NEOCP confirmed as (q < 1.665 AU)

SM975CA = 2011 MQ1 a=2.63

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SM23718 = 2011 MS1
a=3.07

perihelion q= 1.64
aphelion Q=4.49
e = 0.46
i = 29.72

Tisserand parameter = 2.88, this may be an interesting object to follow.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Centaur Echeclus = Periodic comet 174P Enhanced photometric activity

Early June outburst of 174P/Echeclus


ATel #3449Institute of Space Sciences (CSIC-IEEC)
on 23 Jun 2011; 14:05 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Comets
Credential Certification: Josep M. Trigo-Rodriguez (trigo@ieec.uab.es)


An image of the centaur taken the night of June the 3th from La Cañada shows an extended comma with a morphology resembling that of centaur 29P after outbursts.

Monday, June 6, 2011

NEOCP Confirmation work 2011-June-04

NEOCP confirmation work

SL1EBD7 <- 2011 KT12
SL8ED88 <- C/2011 K1
TBL 306 <- 2011 KT8
P100BMv <- 2011 LE1
SL1ECA2 <- 2011 JQ3

SL1F7FA <- 2011 LD1 MPEC 2011-L19 (Apollo object)