UAE's International Astronomy Center Identifies New Asteroid In The Solar System

The International Astronomy Center in Abu Dhabi revealed that one of its team members identified an asteroid within the asteroid belt of our solar system. This discovery was made possible through the analysis of astronomical images provided by a program supported by NASA and other international astronomical bodies.

Eng. Khalfan bin Sultan Al Nuaimi, who heads the International Astronomy Center, explained that the discovery involved analyzing images from a program sponsored by NASA. Collaborators included Hardin-Simmons University in Texas, the Pan-STARRS telescope, and the Catalina Sky Survey Program.

Eng. Mohammed Shawkat Odeh, Director of the International Astronomy Center, discovered the asteroid while examining images from the Pan-STARRS 2 telescope at Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii. This telescope has a diameter of 1.8 meters and is denoted by 'F52'. It features a field of view of 3 degrees and an astronomical camera with a sensor resolution of 1.8 billion pixels.

The process involves uploading four sequential images of the same sky area into a specialized program. The analyst's role is to detect any moving objects across these images. If an unidentified object is found, it is compared to known celestial bodies. If confirmed as new, a report is sent to relevant authorities.

During one such analysis, this particular asteroid was identified and assigned the code "2022 UY56". Following this discovery, an initial certificate was issued to Engineer Odeh.

This asteroid resides in the asteroid belt and completes an orbit around the sun every four years at about 375 million km away. It follows an elliptical path with an eccentricity of 0.22 and an inclination of 11 degrees from the ecliptic plane. Initially shining at magnitude 21, it now shines at magnitude 24.5.

Engineer Odeh noted that this asteroid had been photographed multiple times before its official discovery, with initial observations dating back to 2006 under temporary codes like '2006 XN23'. These pre-discovery observations help refine its orbital path.

The asteroid will retain its current number for several years until further observations can precisely determine its orbit. Once confirmed, it will receive a permanent number, and the discoverer will be officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union and asked to name it.