CERGA Observatory explained

The CERGA Observatory (French: '''Centre de recherches en géodynamique et astrométrie'''; obs. code: 010) was a scientific department and astronomical station of the Côte d'Azur Observatory in southern France, where several asteroids were discovered during 1984–1993.

Description

CERGA included 28 researchers and as many engineers and technicians located on the Observatory sites of Nice, Grasse and Calern (Caussols). The scientific activities covered fields as diverse as fundamental astronomy, celestial mechanics, and space geodesy. CERGA was in charge of several observing facilities of the Lunar Laser Ranging experiment, for example, the lunar-laser ranging telescope and the two satellite laser stations.

By nature the scientific activity involved the acquisition of data and their processing, a dedicated instrumental development and a close relationship with the more theoretical aspects in dynamics and observation modelling.

CERGA was dissolved in 2004 when the parent Côte d'Azur Observatory re-organized. The main-belt asteroid 2252 CERGA was named for the observatory, where this asteroid was discovered by Kōichirō Tomita.

List of discovered minor planets

Minor planets discovered: 21 
see

The Minor Planet Center directly credits the CERGA observatory with the discovery of 21 asteroids made during 1984–1993. The discoveries were made using the observatory's 0.9-meter Schmidt telescope.

3913 Chemin 2 December 1986
4602 Heudier 28 October 1986
4603 Bertaud 25 November 1986
4892 Chrispollas 11 October 1985
5576 Albanese 26 October 1986
5671 Chanal 13 December 1985
5769 Michard 6 August 1987
6375 Fredharris 1 October 1986
6587 Brassens 27 November 1984
6820 Buil 13 December 1985
7928 Bijaoui 27 November 1986
8080 Intel 17 November 1987
8636 Malvina 17 October 1985
9553 Colas 17 October 1985
13499 Steinberg 1 October 1986
13500 Viscardy 6 August 1987
4 November 1986
27 November 1984
27 November 1986
14 August 1985
100122 Alpes Maritimes 15 August 1993

See also

External links