Old style FBAC designations in use from May 1996 to November 2000
FBAC01, 02, and 03 were probably noise bursts. They were
seen on only two images each, and we now know that you need
three images to be fairly sure you have something.
FBAC04 was probably real, but the third image had to be offset
from the first two, as the asteroid moved off the edge of the imaging
area. As I recall, two weeks of bad weather set in, and we were
not able to get confirmation anyway.
It was never reported to the MPC.
FBAC05 became 1996 MB (which was the recovery of lost asteroid 1981 WC).
FBAC06 became 1996 MC.
FBAC07 became 1996 NR.
FBAC08 became 1996 PL1 (which was the recovery of lost asteroid 6809 P-L).
FBAC09 became 1996 TO1.
FBAC10 became 1996 TC9.
FBAC11 became 1996 VA3.
FBAC12 became 1996 TV60.
FBAC13 and 14 were discovered on December 8, 1996 (UT), while
trying to recover our 1996 VA3. However, when we reported them,
they were linked to 1996 VQ18 and VV18, November discoveries by someone else.
VQ18 and VV18 did not appear in a one degree search of known objects
around VA3, because their orbits could not be determined from the
original discovery observations. By linking these to our observations,
an orbit could be determined.
To test this, I used the MPC's facility to generate a Vaisala ephemeris
using just our observations. They differed very little from the MPC's
new ephemeris for VQ18 and VV18. The MPC was right!
At the time, we thought that we had recovered our 1996 VA3. Analysis of
the residuals showed that the object on Saturday night (Dec 8 1996 UT) could
not be VA3, nor could it be the same object that we thought was VA3 on
Sunday night (Dec 9 1996 UT). "VA3"-Saturday became FBAC15. Unfortunately,
residuals were so high that a vaisala orbit could not be computed. (Two of four
measurements, had residuals of three and five arcseconds).
"VA3"-Sunday became FBAC16. The residuals are good, and Keith and Dennis will
look to see if they can see the object on Saturday night. This object will
be reported to the MPC after a month.
Keith reported that he had a moving object on Sunday nights images which he
called "xxx". This became FBAC17. Average residuals on three images are about
1.5 arcseconds. If this object cannot be backtracked to Saturday night, we
will not report this object to the MPC.
FBAC18 was discovered the night of February 15-16, 1997. Due
to an error on my part, a Vaisala ephemeris was created that was
off by a day, and other team members looked in the wrong place. Then
cloudy weather set in. We got a good two-hour track on this object
the first night; we're hopefull we can recover it.
FBAC18 is now 1997 DP.
FBAC19 appeared on two images taken April 6 (UT) 1997 by Frances Smith
and me (b quadrant of TA25). However, we could not see it on the two follow-up images (although
sky conditions had worsened). I'd give this object a 50% chance of being
being real. No follow-up is planned.
FBAC20 was discovered the same night as FBAC19, but did show up on three images
(d quadrant of TA25). Mean error for the astrometry on the three images was 0.9 arcseconds.
If this object cannot be recovered, it should be submitted after a month's time as a "one-night stand".
FBAC21 was discovered on April 7 (UT) 1997 by K2, Dennis, and Frances in the course
of trying to recover FBAC20. At first it was thought that FBAC21 was the recovery of FBAC20,
but residuals in the April 6 observations were systematic and as high as 5 arcseconds, thus
we had two separate objects. FBAC21 mean astrometry errors were 0.8 arcseconds, and
should be reported after a month's time if no confirmation is forthcoming.
UPDATE: It appears now that FBAC21 and 20 were the same object, as time-corrected
astrometry for FBAC21 placed back on top of FBAC20 positions.
However... the residuals go to heck if the FBAC20 astrometry is counted for FBAC21.
The situation is still up in the air.
FBAC21 is now 1997 GY3.
FBAC22 is now 1997 LD4.
FBAC23 is now 1997 PD2.
FBAC24 is now 1997 SN5
FBAC25 is now 1997 SM5
FBAC26 is now 1997 SY17.
FBAC27 was discovered on October 2 (UT) 1997, by Randy Pepper while attempting to
doing follow-up imaging of SM5 and SN5. We failed to recover it October 5 (UT),
though special processing might bring it out.
FBAC28 was discovered on November 2 (UT) 1997 by Max Eastman and me while attempting
to recover 1996 MB. For a while, we thought we had recovered MB, but a delta O-C analysis
showed that the asteroid was moving too slowly to be MB. Weather and schedules
prevented a follow-up, so the asteroid is lost. It will evnetually be
reported as a "one-night stand", so the observations may benefit
someone else.
FBAC29 was discovered by Keith Rivich and Cynthia Gustava on December 22 (UT)1997,
and confirmed by them on Christmas Eve. This asteroid is now designated 1997 YW4.
FBAC30 was also discovered by Keith and Cynthia on Christmas Eve, and is now designated 1997 YC8.
FBAC31, was Keith and Cynthia Christmas Eve discovery. They confimed the discovery on December 28 (UT) 1997,
but they were "scooped" by someone else, perhaps on a earlier confirmation date. This asteroid was designated 1997 YH5.
On an early look at the orbital elements, we had contributed 6 of the 10 positions on this asteroid.
FBAC32, discovered by Bill and Elizabeth Dillon while doing the follow-up on 1997 YC8 on January 1 (UT) 1998.
One good image was obtained, and a second partially involved with a star (the next two YC8 images
were too involved to be useful. Hopefully Paul Comba will be able to confirm our discovery,
or the weather will clear.
P.S. FBAC32 was confirmed by Comba, and was designated 1998 AA, the first asteroid discovery of 1998!
FBAC33, discovered March 1, 1998 by Max Eastman and Bill Dillon, was found while trying to
recover 1996 VA3. For a while, it was thought that FBAC33 WAS VA3, but analysis showed
that it had significant motion in the VA3 reference frame. We were not able to confirm
this discovery due to weather, and will have to submit the results as a "one-night stand".
FBAC34, also discovered March 1, 1998 (UT). We only had what seemed to be two
clear images of this asteroid (it moved off field in the third image). A vaisala orbit
could not be fit to the data. It may not have been real, and positions therefore will not be submitted.
FBAC35, 19th mag object discovered May 30, 1998 (UT) by Randy Pepper at the site of our first discovery. Randy followed up the next night, but due to soft focus and moonlight, the only candidate object did not meet our quality criteria. Results from May 30 will be submitted as a "one-night stand" in a month's time.
FBAC36, 18th mag object discovered July 24, 1998 (UT) by Dennis Borgman and Keith Rivich, and confirmed by them on the following night. FBAC36 is now 1998 OV1! Max Eastman and I imaged it again the night after that.
FBAC37, a fainter (~19th mag) asteroid discovered by Dennis and Keith on the same night as FBAC36. However, recovery on the following night might have been made, but the residuals were high for the combined nights (some close to 2 arcseconds), and it didn't appear to show up on images Max and I made on the 26th (UT). Unless we can get a third night, we will probably submit the first night's astrometry as a "one-night stand" after a month.
FBAC38 is now 1998 SH4.
FBAC39 is now 1998 SJ4.
FBAC40, discovered on September 27 (UT) 1998, while doing follow-up work on 1998 SJ4. Hopefully we'll get confirmation soon! Epilog: we tried several times, but failed to recover it.
FBAC41, discovered on December 15 (UT) 1998, while attempting to image the newly-discovered Kuiper-Belt object 1998 WH24. The object was very faint (less than 19th magnitude). Rather than recover this object, it was thought better to spend time going after brighter objects.
FBAC42, discovered on January 19 (UT) 1999, is now 1999 BC3.
FBAC43, discovered on March 22.19 (UT) 1999, is now 1999 FO10.
FBAC44, discovered on September 10.2 (UT) 1999, is now 1999 RN33,.
FBAC45, found the same night as FBAC44, was already designated 1999 RP16 (we were "scooped").
FBAC46, found the same night as FBAC44, was already designated 1999 RQ16 (we were "scooped" again).
FBAC47, imaged on December 1 and 2 UT, 1999, was suspected to be 1999 VO35. At the time VO35 only had a Vaisala orbit from the last dark moon, and was 8 arcminutes from its predicted position. Since we couldn't be sure of the identity, we reported it as FBAC47. It was indeed 1999 VO35.
FBAC48, imaged December 2 and 5 UT, 1999. MPC asteroid locator showed no known object within 15 arcminutes. Unfortunately (depending on how you look at it!), 4093 T-3 was 16+ arcminutes off predicted, having only two oppositions (1977 and 1995) and 14 positions. We just added four more.
FBAC49, discovered December 6.16 UT, 1999, is now 1999 XV35
FBAC50, possibly discovered December 10 UT, 1999, on a follow-up image of 1999 XV35, failed to show up for sure on sub-par images of XV35 on December 14 UT, 1999. Imaging this asteroid took the very best in focusing and tracking. Because only one clear image of FBAC50 showed up on 10 December 1999, it is possible that the object did not exist. No astrometry will be turned in, nor any further recovery attempts be made.
FBAC51, is now 2000 CD59!
FBAC52, is now 2000 CB41, our first discovery of the year.
FBAC53, discovered 27-Feb-2000 UT, is now 2000 DP7, thanks to confirmation by Larry Robinson.
FBAC54, discovered 26-Jul-2000 UT, confirmed by Larry Robinson and Paul Comba, is now 2000 OR1.
FBAC55, discovered 6-August-2000 UT, is now 2000 PO8.
FBAC56, discovered 27-August-2000 UT, is now 2000 QL26.
FBAC57, discovered 27-August-2000 UT, is now 2000 QM26.
FBAC58, discovered 27-August-2000 UT. Confirmed by Paul Comba, now known as 2000 QA71.
FBAC59, discovered 29-August-2000 UT, confirmed 30-August. We were "scooped" by someone else by a day or two. This asteroid is now designated 2000 QL47 (and we don't have the designation). Too bad, at mag 15.8 it would have been our brightest discovery ever.
FBAC60, discovered 30-August-2000 UT, while imaging FBAC59. Confirmed by Paul Comba, now known as 2000 QC71.
FBAC61, discovered 19-October 2000 UT by Alex Cruz and Bill Dillon, now known as 2000 UL.
FBAC62, "discovered" 21-November 2000 UT, while imaging the 2000 UL field, this object was only visible on two (of four) image stacks, and was probably an artifact. No data will be sent on this dubious object.
FBAC63, "discovered" 21-Nov-2000 UT, while imaging the 2000 UL field, this objects "motion" disappeared after flats and hot/cold pixel removal were applied pre-stack.
FBAC64, discovered 21-Nov-2000 UT in the A quadrant of our standard search field, is now 2000 WN21.
FBAC65, discovered 21-Nov-2000 UT in the A quadrant of our standard search field, is now 2000 WM21.
FBAC66, discovered 21-Nov-2000 UT in the C quadrant of our standard search field, is 1997 CB5 (not our object, but in need of observations).
FBAC67, discovered 21-Nov-2000 UT in the C quadrant of our standard search field, is now 2000 WO21.
FBAC68, discovered 21-Nov-2000 UT in the C quadrant of our standard search field, FBAC 72 was linked to this object.
FBAC69, discovered 26-Nov-2000 UT in the FBAC 64, 65, 67 predicted field, was very faint and only showed up clearly in two of three images. It may be an artifact and will not be reported.
FBAC70, discovered 26-Nov-2000 UT in the FBAC 64, 65, 67 predicted field, is now 2000 WD107.
FBAC71, discovered 26-Nov-2000 UT in the FBAC 68 predicted field, is the recovery of 1999 JK66 (we do not keep primary designation).
FBAC72, discovered 26-Nov-2000 UT in the FBAC 68 predicted field, is awaiting 2nd night confirmation. It is possible that it could be FBAC68 itself, but I was not able to get a good match to the November 21 UT positions. Epilog: The MPC linked FBAC72 to FBAC68 (but not the other way around). FBAC72 is now 2000 WQ21.
FBAC73, discovered 26-Nov-2000 UT in the FBAC 68 predicted field, was linked to our F0B276.
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