Chinese researchers develop new technique for accurate astrometric observation

BEIJING -- Chinese researchers have proposed a new method to precisely measure the astrometric positions of small near-Earth objects (NEOs), according to a recent research article published in the Astronomical Journal.

The precise astrometric observation of NEOs is valuable for research into the origin and evolution of the solar system, the detection and early warning of small NEOs, and deep-space navigation.

To cope with the faintness and fast-moving speed of small NEOs and improve the accuracy of astrometric observations, the researchers from the Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences used the image fusion technique and obtained both superimposed images and original images containing reference stars and moving targets.

They carried out astrometric calculations on the images of small NEOs from a 1-meter telescope and demonstrated that the method can significantly improve the accuracy of the astrometric observation of NEOs.

Using the fused images, the researchers can reduce the influence of telescope tracking and NEO ephemeris errors on astrometric observations, said the research article.