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Catalina Sky Surveys:
The Catalina Sky Surveys (CSS) is currently the most
efficient NEO survey program for finding new near-Earth objects.
CSS
utilizes three refurbished telescopes all using identical thinned, multichannel
cryogenically cooled 4K x4K CCD cameras; 1) The original Catalina Sky Survey (CSS, MPC COD 703)
using a 0.7-meter f/1.8 Schmidt telescope with a 2.9 x 2.9 degree field
at the Steward Observatory Catalina Station (2510m elevation, 20 km northeast of Tucson, Arizona), 2)
The Siding Spring Survey (SSS, MPC COD E12) using the Uppsala 0.5-m f/3.5 Schmidt
telescope with a 2.0 x 2.0 degree field operated jointly with the Australian National
University Research School for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Siding Spring Observatory, Australia
(1150m elevation), and 3) the Mt. Lemmon Survey (MLS, MPC COD G96) using the 1.5-meter
f/2.0 prime focus telescope with a 1.0 x 1.0 degree field at the Steward Observatory Mt.
Lemmon station (2790-m elevation, 18 km north of Tucson). The 1.5-m Mt. Lemmon and 1.0-m
Siding Spring telescopes are also used for astrometric follow up and physical observations
of interesting NEOs.
Steve Larson: Principal Investigator
Andrea Boattini, Gordon Garradd, Alex Gibbs, Al Grauer, Rik Hill, Richard Kowalski and Rob McNaught: Observers.
Look here for additional information on the Catalina Sky Surveys:
http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/css/
http://msowww.anu.edu.au/~rmn/
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