Tracking Asteroids 

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If there is one field where amateur astronomers can make a significant contribution to science, it is the study of asteroids. These minor celestial bodies are part of the solar system, and their detection remains a key objective for the Minor Planet Center (MPC).

For many years, we have been conducting observations and collecting astrometric and photometric data for the MPC under the B92 observatory code in Chinon, using a 310 255 mm telescope. Since 2025, we have established our own R67 observatory, equipped with a 400 mm telescope.

The purpose of these measurements is to enrich the MPC’s database.

How do we proceed? We select asteroid fields and analyze images to extract scientifically valuable data.

Below is an image of asteroid (140) Siwa, captured on April 29, 2025.

At first glance, this image may not seem spectacular, but it holds valuable information.

To extract asteroid-related data, several software programs are available. The most widely used, and arguably the most powerful, is Tycho Tracker Pro. 

See Tycho Tracker.

This software preprocesses images before performing plate solving, identifying the exact field of view. The user then only needs to conduct a few verifications before obtaining a final output—a file containing scientific data.

See the following example.

This file includes, among other details:

• The object’s identification

• The Julian date of the observation

• Right Ascension (RA) and Declination (Dec) coordinates

• Residuals

• Measured magnitude

This ADES-format file (Astronomy Data Exchange Standard) is sent directly by Tycho Tracker to the MPC, which typically responds with an acknowledgment within minutes.

Conclusion: MPC-related research also involves the potential discovery of minor objects, cometary measurements, and tracking magnitude variations over time via ALCDEF-format files. Additionally, monitoring newly discovered objects helps confirm their existence. Furthermore, asteroid magnitude analysis contributes to 3D shape determination research.