Research Areas

A primary scientific focus of the HOB Observatory is the monitoring of Asteroids and Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). This field represents a critical synergy between large professional sky surveys and the global network of smaller, agile observatories. While professional surveys are responsible for the initial discovery of new Asteroid and NEOs, follow-up observations are essential to secure their orbits and accurately assess any potential impact risk. 

The core activity involves rapidly acquiring high-precision astrometry of newly discovered or poorly-observed NEOs. These measurements, which must typically achieve sub-arcsecond accuracy, are crucial for refining orbital calculations.

All astrometric data from HOB is submitted to the Minor Planet Center (MPC)— the official worldwide clearinghouse for such observations, operated at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.

HOB Observatory conducts detailed photometric studies of asteroids to characterize their physical properties. This research is divided into two primary areas: time-series photometry for lightcurve analysis and multi-band photometry for compositional analysis.

Lightcurve Analysis and Rotational Properties

Time-series photometry involves monitoring an asteroid's brightness over several hours or nights. The resulting dataset, known as a lightcurve, reveals periodic variations in brightness. Analysis of the lightcurve's shape and amplitude allows for the determination of key physical parameters, including the asteroid's synodic rotation period, and provides insights into its overall shape and the potential binarity of the system (i.e., the presence of a satellite).

Multi-band Photometry and Compositional Taxonomy

To investigate the surface composition of asteroids, the observatory performs multi-band photometry. This technique measures an object's brightness through a set of standard astronomical filters. By comparing the brightness measured in each band, we can derive the asteroid's color indices. These indices are diagnostic of surface mineralogy and are used to classify the asteroid into a specific taxonomic class (e.g., C-type, S-type).

The HOB Observatory maintains an active photometric monitoring program focused on objects that exhibit significant brightness variations. This research targets two distinct classes of celestial objects: variable stars within our galaxy and highly energetic Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) in the distant universe.

Variable Star 

The study of variable stars is fundamental to understanding stellar physics and evolution. Our program conducts time-series photometry of various types of variable stars.

Analysis of the resulting lightcurves provides useful data for deriving stellar properties, such as mass, radius, luminosity, temperature. The observing cadence and methodology are tailored to the specific type of star and the scientific goals of the campaign.

Monitoring of Active Galactic Nuclei

Beyond stellar science, the observatory's photometric capabilities are extended to monitoring extragalactic sources, specifically Quasars and Blazars. These objects are types of AGN whose extreme and often unpredictable variability provides insights into the physics of supermassive black holes and accretion disks. This work is primarily conducted as part of collaborative campaigns with professional research institutions, where our data contributes to long-term monitoring efforts that are crucial for understanding AGN activity.