2025-08-03 –, Kuiper Space Sciences Lecture Hall (308)
The Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) is a NASA-funded, ground-based observatory program dedicated to discovering and tracking Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) that may pose a threat to Earth. Operating since 1998, CSS employs a network of telescopes and a robust software pipeline to conduct both survey and targeted follow-up observations. Key facilities include the Mount Lemmon 1.5-m and 1.0-m telescopes (G96 and I52), the Mount Bigelow 0.7-m Schmidt (703) and Kuiper 1.55-m (V06), and the Bok 2.3-m telescope at Kitt Peak (V00), with the telescopes varying in field-of-view from 1 to 19 square degrees.
The CSS pipeline manages image calibration, astrometric and photometric reductions, and moving object detection. Calibration includes bias subtraction, flat-fielding, and sky background correction, while astrometric solutions rely on SCAMP and the Gaia DR2 catalog. Photometric calibration begins with SEXTRACTOR’s MAG_ISOCOR magnitude, adjusted by matches to catalog stars and finalized in Gaia G-band. The detection of moving objects is achieved through catalog comparisons and image subtraction techniques, with candidates scored via the DIGEST2 tool to prioritize likely NEOs.
A key operational feature is CSS’s real-time human validation system: each night, observers visually inspect thousands of blinked image sequences to confirm moving object detections. Validated detections are reported to the Minor Planet Center (MPC) in the ADES format, and the archival data is distributed via the Planetary Data System (PDS). CSS’s configuration-controlled pipeline ensures consistency across processing steps, and software development is maintained under Subversion (SVN).
Beyond discovery, CSS operations include confirmation of new discoveries, orbital arc extensions, and archival searches (“precoveries”) for earlier detections of known NEOs. The survey routinely performs follow-up on its own discoveries and contributes incidental astrometry for thousands of known objects each night.
CSS is also expanding its reach through crowd-sourced initiatives like its citizen science project on Zooniverse, The Daily Minor Planet and by developing NEOfixer, a broker that ranks follow-up priorities using input from MPC, Scout, and other data sources. These innovations aim to enhance community coordination and ensure that high-priority NEOs receive timely and sufficient follow-up. Ultimately, CSS's operations model emphasizes automation, real-time human validation, and archival accessibility—positioning it as a vital component of planetary defense.
