Bisei Spaceguard Center


see

The Bisei Spaceguard Center is an astronomical observatory located at Bisei-chō, Okayama, Japan. The facility was constructed during 1999–2000, where it since conducts the Bisei Asteroid Tracking Telescope for Rapid Survey or BATTeRS, an astronomical survey that solely tracks asteroids and space debris. BATTeRS has discovered numerous minor planets and the periodic, Halley-type comet and near-Earth object C/2001 W2 .
Space debris, along with spaceships, satellites as well as other small objects can present a hazard to operating spacecraft. Built by the Japan Space Forum with contributions by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, all expenses of the center are covered by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The telescopes which keep track of any space debris are manned by members of the Japan Spaceguard Association. Besides the spaceguard center, the facility also includes the Bisei Astronomical Observatory.
The 1-meter Cassegrain telescope has a field of view of three degrees and there are plans to use a mosaic of ten CCD detectors each one of which will have dimensions of 2096 x 4096 pixels. A 0.5-meter telescope with a field of view of 2 x 2 degrees began operations in February 2000. Once the 1-meter NEO search telescope begins operations, the 0.5-meter telescope will be used to provide follow-up astrometric observations.
The main-belt asteroid 17286 Bisei, discovered by BATTeRS in July 2000, was named after the town where the Bisei Spaceguard Center and the Bisei Astronomical Observatory are located.

List of discovered minor planets

BATTeRS has discovered more than 400 minor planets during its course. As an anomaly, the survey is also credited with the discovery of at Kiso Observatory in 1996, or 4 years before the Bisei Spaceguard Center was constructed. Members of the program include Atsuo Asami, David J. Asher and Syuichi Nakano. Takeshi Urata was also a former member of BATTerS.
17286 Bisei8 July 2000
18156 Kamisaibara3 August 2000
18160 Nihon Uchu Forum7 August 2000
18161 Koshiishi7 August 2000
21 October 2000
22177 Saotome6 December 2000
23259 Miwadagakuen29 December 2000
25884 Asai20 September 2000
22 November 2000
30448 Yoshiomoriyama7 July 2000
32184 Yamaura8 July 2000
32270 Inokuchihiroo4 August 2000
32272 Hasegawayuya4 August 2000
32288 Terui23 August 2000
34088 Satokosuka6 August 2000
34123 Uedayukika25 August 2000
34399 Hachiojihigashi7 September 2000
34424 Utashima24 September 2000
34817 Shiominemoto21 September 2001
34893 Mihomasatoshi17 November 2001
36424 Satokokumasaki3 August 2000
36426 Kakuda5 August 2000
36472 Ebina27 August 2000
36782 Okauchitakashige20 September 2000
36783 Kagamino23 September 2000

63897 Ofunato18 September 2001
64547 Saku16 November 2001
18 November 2001
3 August 2000
18 October 2000
67712 Kimotsuki21 October 2000
26 October 2000
4 December 2000
68021 Taiki29 December 2000
72012 Terute4 December 2000
6 December 2000
16 November 2001
87271 Kokubunji3 August 2000
7 August 2000
87312 Akirasuzuki23 August 2000
6 September 2000
26 September 2000
14 November 2001
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6 January 2010
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1 March 2009
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27 July 2008
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26 October 2008
1 January 2009
11 November 2007
3 November 2008
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4 November 2008
26 October 2009
18 November 2008