Characteristics of small-sized space debris objects using Terskol observatory measurements

1Bakhtigaraev, NS, 1Levkina, PA, 1Rykhlova, LV, 2Chazov, VV, 3Sergeev, AV, 3Karpov, NV
1Institute of Astronomy of RAS, Moscow, Russia
2Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow, Russia
3International Center for Astronomical, Medical and Ecological Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
Kinemat. fiz. nebesnyh tel (Online) 2016, 32(5):34-39
Start Page: Problems of Astronomy
Language: Russian
Abstract: 

The Zeiss-2000 telescope of Terskol observatory with a two-meter aperture is the largest optical instrument in Europe that is regularly used to investigate space debris (SD) in the geostationary region. One of the main purposes is the detection and characterization of small fragments of debris, difficult to approach for smaller telescopes. During each photometric night we usually detect 4-5 unknown fragments of 17th to 20th magnitude. In this article we present orbital parameters and physical characteristics of several small-sized fragments of the space debris detected during observations at Terskol observatory in 2014—2015.

Keywords: observations, orbital debris
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