Eleanor F. Helin

Eleanor Francis Helin is an American Astronome , left reprocesses some in 2002. It was it responsible principal program Near Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of NASA. Certain sources spell its name: Eleanor Kay Helin .

She discovered or Co-overdraft 871 asteroids, of which in particular:

the two first asteroids Aten (2062) Aten and (2100) Ra-Shalom,
the asteroids Apollo (4660) Nereus, (4769) Castalia and others,
several asteroids Amor,
three Trojan asteroids of which (3240) Laocoon and finally (9969) Braille.

She also discovered or Co-overdraft of the Comet S, of which periodic comets 111P/Helin-Novel-Crockett, 117P/Helin-Novel-Aluminum and 132P/Helin-Novel-Aluminum.

She is also regarded as the discoverer of the object now considered at the same time as the asteroid (4015) Wilson-Harrington and the comet 107P/Wilson-Harrington. Although Wilson and Harrington preceded it by several decades, their observations did not make it possible to establish the Orbite this object, contrary to its redécouverte.

The asteroid (3267) Glo bears its name (" Glo" is its nickname).

It was active in Planétologie and astronomy with the California Institute off Technology and with the JPL during more than three decades. To beginning of the year 70, it launched the Planet-Crossing Asteroid Survey (PCAS) to the Observatoire of the Mount Palomar. This program is at the origin of discovered thousands of asteroids of all types whose more than 200 having an orbit strongly inclined and others having not very common orbital parameters, of 20 comets, and approximately 30 pourcent asteroids géocroiseurs all over the world discovered.

It organized and coordinated the International Near-Earth Asteroid Survey (INAS) during the Eighties, encouraging and stimulating on a world level the interest carried to the asteroids. In recognition of completed works, it accepted the medal of the Exceptional Service of NASA. The outstanding commendation award 1997 of the JPL was given to him in recognition of its important role in the program Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT). It also accepted the price Group Achievement of NASA for team NEAT.

After having directed photographic research program PCAS with the Palomar mount during almost 25 years, Mrs. Helin worked out a new advanced research program using of the electronic sensors assembled on a telescope with large opening: NEAT. It was it responsible principal for this program undertaken by the JPL.

In service since December 1995, NEAT is the first automatic program of observation. There is no personnel JPL on the site, the computer Sun Spark of the JPL controlling the system of observation during the night and transmitting the data to the JPL each morning for analysis and confirmation by the members of the team. NEAT detected more than 26000 objects, including 31 asteroids géocroiseurs, two comets at long period and the singular object 1996 PW, an asteroid having the orbital Excentricité most important currently known (E = 0,99012940), which moves on an orbit of the comet type at long period (4110,50 years, equatorial radius 256,601 UA).

External bonds

WITI Museum Women in Science & Technology Month 1998 June 12

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