Gaia follow-up network for solar system objects
Date: 23 January 2017
Satellite: Gaia
Depicts: Map of Gaia-FUN-SSO observing sites
Copyright: Google Earth
The Gaia Follow-Up Network for Solar System Objects (Gaia-FUN-SSO) coordinates ground-based observations of candidate asteroids that have been identified during Gaia data processing.
Among the celestial bodies that Gaia detects as it scans the sky are moving objects – these are Solar System bodies, some of which are candidate asteroids. When one has been identified, rapid ground-based observations are required to avoid the loss of these newly detected objects. The ground-based observations are used to fine-tune orbit details and to identify the objects – this information is fed back into the Gaia data processing.
The network is part of Coordination Unit 4 (Object processing) of the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC).
Last Update: 1 September 2019
