The following four (4) maps depict the land-based optical and radio astronomical observatories that constitute NASA’s Planetary Defense Network against potential outer space threats, principally from asteroids, but also other identified Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). A detailed list of the observatories is also provided.
“Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are asteroids and comets that orbit the Sun but have orbits that can bring them into Earth’s neighborhood—within 30 million miles of Earth’s orbit. Planetary defense encompasses all the capabilities needed to detect and warn of potential 10-meter and larger NEO impacts with Earth, and to either prevent such an event or mitigate the possible effects of an impact.”
Source: whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-NSTC-National-Preparedness-Strategy-and-Action-Plan-for-Near-Earth-Object-Hazards-and-Planetary-Defense.pdf
The network includes nine (9) optical observatories in the Southwestern United States, five (5) in Hawaii, four each (4) in Chile and Illinois, plus one (1) each in Australia and South Africa, as well as one (1) radio telescope in Southern California. Please note, there are other participating institutions and organizations in the network, as well as a space-based telescope. However, this post is concentrating specifically on the astronomical observatories that are part of the NASA network here on Earth.
The first map (above) depicts the locations of the Planetary Defense Network, while the second and third maps (see below) provide a more detailed image for the Southwestern United States, Hawaii, and Chile where there are clusters of telescopes in the NASA network. Immediately below is the detailed map for the American Southwest:
The following is the detailed map for the Hawaiian Islands:
Below, is the man for the Chilean observatories:
Here’s a detailed list of the Earth-based observatories in NASA’s network listed in alphabetical order:
| OBSERVATORY | LOCATION | TELESCOPE SIZE |
| Astronomical Research Inst. | Westfield, IL | 1.3 meter |
| Astronomical Research Inst. | Westfield, IL | 0.8 meter |
| Astronomical Research Inst. | Westfield, IL | 0.8 meter |
| Astronomical Research Inst. | Westfield, IL | 0.6 meter |
| Cerro Tololo Inter-American | La Serena, Chile | 1.3 meter |
| El Sauce | Chile | 1.0 meter Schmidt |
| Gemini North | Mauna Kea, Hawaii | 8.1 meter Cassegrain |
| Gemini South | Cerro Pachón, Chile | 8.1 meter Cassegrain |
| Goldstone Radio | Fort Irwin, California | 70 meter antenna |
| Haleakala | Maui, Hawaii | 1.0 meter Schmidt |
| Haleakala | Maui, Hawaii | 1.8 meter |
| Kitt Peak (Spacewatch) | Sells, Arizona | 1.8 meter |
| Kitt Peak (Spacewatch) | Sells, Arizona | 0.9 meter |
| Kitt Peak (Mayall) | Sells, Arizona | 4.0 meter |
| Lowell | Flagstaff, Arizona | 4.3 meter |
| Magdalena Ridge | Socorro, New Mexico | 2.4 meter fast-tracking |
| Mauna Loa | Mauna Loa, Hawaii | 1.0 meter Schmidt |
| Infrared Telescope Facility | Mauna Kea, Hawaii | 3.2 meter |
| Mount Bigelow (U of AZ) | Tucson, Arizona | 0.7 meter Schmidt |
| Mount Lemmon (U of AZ) | Tucson, Arizona | 1.5 meter Cassegrain |
| Mount Lemmon (U of AZ) | Tucson, Arizona | 1.0 meter Cassegrain |
| SOAR | Cerro Pachón, Chile | 4.1 meter |
| Space Surveillance | NW Cape, Australia | 3.5 meter |
| Sutherland | South Africa | 1.0 meter Schmidt |
The following chart depicts how hazardous various sizes of near-earth objects would be to the Earth.
Beyond the efforts through this impressive NASA network, there are other organizations around the planet watching the skies for these threats. Given the potential dangers associated with near-earth objects, it is nice to know that there are network(s) out there keeping an eye on the skies. Peace!
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If you would like to learn more about this topic, here are several books on near-earth objects available through Amazon.com.*
*A small commission is earned from purchases that are made using the above links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
SOURCES:
- https://www.nasa.gov/planetarydefense/neoo
- maps.google.com
- https://www.nasa.gov/planetarydefense/did-you-know
- https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-NSTC-National-Preparedness-Strategy-and-Action-Plan-for-Near-Earth-Object-Hazards-and-Planetary-Defense.pdf
- https://catalina.lpl.arizona.edu/about/facilities
- https://fallingstar.com/specifications.php
- http://dashboard.fallingstar.com/dash/sth.html
- http://dashboard.fallingstar.com/dash/chl.html
- https://www.fallingstar.com
- https://outerspace.stsci.edu/display/PANSTARRS/
- https://www.ll.mit.edu/impact/watch-potentially-hazardous-asteroids
- http://www.mro.nmt.edu/data/2.4m/
- http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/instruments/#Visitor
- https://manos.lowell.edu/overview/goals
- https://spacewatch.lpl.arizona.edu
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldstone_Solar_System_Radar
- https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/ctio/
- https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/ctio/soar-telescope/
- http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/information/about.php
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemini_Observatory
- http://www.astro-research.org/observatory_directory.htm
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