The International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC), also known as “Isaac”, manages and conducts asteroid search campaigns with the participation of around 3,500 teams from many countries, including our African group, which has been actively participating since November 2020. Our African participants have made significant contributions, with over 30 asteroid discoveries that have been officially numbered and included in the world’s minor bodies catalog maintained by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in Paris. Once an asteroid is numbered, it can be named by its discoverers, adding to the legacy of African contributions in the field of astronomy.

The Institute for Astronomy (IfA) at the University of Hawaii provides image sets for general asteroid search campaigns, using the 1.8-m Pan-STARRS telescope located on Haleakalā and capturing images along the ecliptic where most asteroids are found. These image sets are made available to teams through the IASC website.

Teams utilize the Astrometrica program to search for and measure asteroids in the provided image sets, and prepare detailed reports in Astrometrica, which are then submitted through the IASC website for review of possible detections. This collaborative effort among our African group and other participating teams worldwide is contributing to the ongoing discovery and understanding of asteroids, advancing our knowledge of the cosmos.

REQUIREMENTS

• A computer (A windows OS, win 7,8,10 and above)
• Good Internet
• Time commitment both during training and the research (At least 4 hours per week)
• Minimum of 3 persons to form a group (No Maximum)

To learn about how to register and participate, or if you have any other concerns, please reach out to us via email at info@pacselab.space or contact us through chat, or call on WhatsApp at +2347039594089.