Purple Mountain Observatory


Purple Mountain Observatory, also known as Zijinshan Astronomical Observatory, is a dual-use astronomical observatory operated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, located at Purple Mountain east of Nanjing. The observatory conducts both open science, such as calculating the official Chinese calendar, and classified space domain awareness activities for the PLA Aerospace Force. The observatory's long-range precision mechanical tracking radars used for space surveillance are managed by PLAASF Base 26 as the Space Target and Debris Observation and Research Center.
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Description

The Purple Mountain Observatory was established in 1934 funded by the Nationalist Government of the Republic of China and administered by Academia Sinica. The longtime director of the observatory from 1950 to 1984 was Chinese astronomer Zhang Yuzhe. By the late 1980s, increasing light pollution in Nanjing meant Purple Mountain was no longer viable as a working observatory. It has since shifted its focus to public education, with much of the actual scientific work being carried out in its five branch observatories located at Qinghai, Ganyu, Xuyi, Honghe, and Qingdao.
The Minor Planet Center credits the observatory with the discovery of 149 minor planets between 1955 and 1983, while the observatory's PMO NEO Survey Program is credited with more than 600 discoveries between 2006 and 2013.

Discoveries

The observatory discovered the periodic comets 60P/Tsuchinshan and 62P/Tsuchinshan, as well as the non-periodic, also known as Comet 1977 X,, and C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS). They are named after the postal romanization of the name. Many asteroids were also discovered, including the Trojan asteroids 2223 Sarpedon, 2260 Neoptolemus, 2363 Cebriones, 2456 Palamedes, and the eponymous 3494 Purple Mountain.

Near-Earth object survey

The Chinese Near-Earth Object Survey, based at the Xuyi Station in Xuyi, Jiangsu, started observations in 2006. It uses a 1:04=1:20=1:80 m Schmidt telescope equipped with a 4K × 4K CCD detector with the drift-scanning function. As of August 2012, the program has observed 149,971 asteroids, found 1,279 new provisional designation asteroids, and cataloged 251 numbered asteroids including five Jupiter trojans, two Hildian, and one Phocaea asteroid. The program has also observed the position of 824 near-Earth objects and discovered four new ones: the Apollo asteroid, and the three Amor asteroid,, and.

List of discovered minor planets (1955–1983)

A total of 149 minor planets were discovered by the Purple Mountain Observatory between 1955 and 1983.
1125 China30 October 1957
1802 Zhang Heng9 October 1964
1888 Zu Chong-Zhi9 November 1964
1972 Yi Xing9 November 1964
2012 Guo Shou-Jing9 October 1964
2027 Shen Guo9 November 1964
2045 Peking8 October 1964
2077 Kiangsu18 December 1974
2078 Nanking12 January 1975
2085 Henan20 December 1965
2162 Anhui30 January 1966
2169 Taiwan9 November 1964
2184 Fujian9 October 1964
2185 Guangdong20 November 1965
2197 Shanghai30 December 1965
2209 Tianjin28 October 1978
2215 Sichuan12 November 1964
2223 Sarpedon4 October 1977
2230 Yunnan29 October 1978
2255 Qinghai3 November 1977
2260 Neoptolemus26 November 1975
2263 Shaanxi30 October 1978
2336 Xinjiang26 November 1975
2344 Xizang27 September 1979
2355 Nei Monggol30 October 1978

2790 Needham19 October 1965
2851 Harbin30 October 1978
2886 Tinkaping20 December 1965
2899 Runrun Shaw8 October 1964
2903 Zhuhai23 October 1981
2963 Chen Jiageng9 November 1964
3011 Chongqing26 November 1978
3014 Huangsushu11 October 1979
3024 Hainan23 October 1981
3028 Zhangguoxi9 October 1978
3048 Guangzhou8 October 1964
3051 Nantong19 December 1974
3088 Jinxiuzhonghua24 October 1981
3089 Oujianquan3 December 1981
3136 Anshan18 November 1981
3139 Shantou11 November 1980
3171 Wangshouguan19 November 1979
3187 Dalian10 October 1977
3206 Wuhan13 November 1980
3221 Changshi2 December 1981
3239 Meizhou29 October 1978
3241 Yeshuhua28 November 1978
3297 Hong Kong26 November 1978
3335 Quanzhou1 January 1966
3340 Yinhai12 October 1979

3763 Qianxuesen14 October 1980
3812 Lidaksum11 January 1965
3844 Lujiaxi30 January 1966
3901 Nanjingdaxue7 April 1958
3960 Chaliubieju20 January 1955
4047 Chang'E8 October 1964
4073 Ruianzhongxue23 October 1981
4245 Nairc29 October 1981
4273 Dunhuang29 October 1978
4360 Xuyi9 October 1964
4431 Holeungholee28 November 1978
4562 Poleungkuk21 October 1979
4566 Chaokuangpiu27 November 1981
4651 Wongkwancheng31 October 1957
4730 Xingmingzhou7 December 1980
4913 Wangxuan20 September 1965
4925 Zhoushan3 December 1981
4988 Chushuho6 November 1980
5013 Suzhousanzhong9 November 1964
5045 Hoyin29 October 1978
5198 Fongyunwah16 January 1975
5217 Chaozhou13 February 1966
5267 Zegmott13 February 1966
5273 Peilisheng16 February 1982
5389 Choikaiyau29 October 1981

List of discoveries by the PMO NEO Survey Program

Several hundred minor planets were discovered by the observatory's PMO NEO Survey Program from 2006 to 2013.
18 August 2007
171448 Guchaohao11 September 2007
175633 Yaoan9 October 2007
185535 Gangda28 November 2007
185538 Fangcheng14 December 2007
185640 Sunyisui1 March 2008
187707 Nandaxianlin2 March 2008
187709 Fengduan3 March 2008
188973 Siufaiwing3 March 2008
192178 Lijieshou10 March 2007
199947 Qaidam16 April 2007
199953 Mingnaiben18 April 2007
200002 Hehe6 May 2007
200003 Aokeda19 May 2007
202784 Gangkeda29 February 2008
204836 Xiexiaosi16 August 2007
204839 Suzhouyuanlin16 August 2007
207681 Caiqiao16 August 2007
207715 Muqinshuijiao11 September 2007
207716 Wangxichan11 September 2007
207723 Jiansanjiang11 September 2007
17 September 2007
207809 Wuzuze9 October 2007
210210 Songjian16 August 2007
210230 Linyuanpei11 September 2007

11 September 2007
11 September 2007
6 October 2007
5 October 2007
30 December 2008
16 August 2007
21 September 2007
8 October 2007
19 December 2006
11 September 2007
6 October 2007
9 November 2007
26 January 2009
14 October 2009
14 October 2009
16 August 2007
11 September 2007
11 September 2007
17 October 2007
6 November 2007
11 November 2007
18 January 2009
11 September 2007
4 November 2007
24 January 2009

14 October 2009
23 November 2009
24 November 2009
12 May 2007
16 May 2007
5 October 2007
5 November 2007
29 February 2008
13 September 2009
16 August 2007
9 October 2007
9 October 2007
3 March 2008
24 January 2009
16 March 2009
24 November 2009
10 March 2010
16 August 2007
6 October 2007
8 November 2007
1 January 2009
19 August 2010
16 May 2007
6 May 2007
12 May 2007

24 January 2009
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27 January 2009
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26 January 2009
16 March 2009
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2 May 2009
13 September 2009
18 September 2009
24 October 2009
10 March 2010
29 February 2008
21 September 2007
6 October 2007
9 October 2007
4 October 2007
6 October 2007
5 November 2007
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6 November 2007
4 January 2008

11 September 2007
2 November 2007
3 March 2008
24 January 2009
10 August 2010
10 April 2007
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2 November 2007
4 February 2008
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27 January 2009
16 March 2009
25 March 2009
27 April 2009
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18 August 2010
12 August 2007
11 September 2007
5 November 2007
14 December 2007
29 February 2008

11 March 2007
10 October 2007
19 September 2009
17 August 2007
11 September 2007
21 September 2007
9 October 2007
3 March 2008
24 January 2009
18 August 2010
16 May 2007
12 August 2007
6 November 2007
5 November 2007
23 January 2009
26 January 2009
26 January 2009
23 March 2009
23 March 2009
28 December 2009
10 March 2010
10 March 2010
10 March 2010
10 March 2010
10 March 2010

27 January 2009
10 March 2010
23 April 2010
11 September 2007
3 October 2007
9 October 2007
9 February 2008
6 February 2008
3 March 2008
23 January 2009
27 January 2009
26 January 2009
31 January 2009
27 April 2009
11 September 2007
9 October 2007
6 February 2008
29 February 2008
3 March 2008
3 March 2008
24 January 2009
26 January 2009
25 April 2009
3 October 2011
9 November 2007

3 March 2008
26 January 2009
20 April 2009
27 April 2009
20 April 2009
9 August 2010
10 August 2010
18 January 2009
21 September 2007
15 June 2009
18 September 2009
24 November 2009
16 August 2007
23 January 2009
23 March 2009
14 October 2009
8 April 2007
3 January 2008
30 December 2008
11 September 2007
11 September 2007
4 October 2007
3 March 2008
11 September 2007
20 March 2007

10 March 2010
8 April 2010
25 March 2009
5 November 2007
6 November 2007
2 March 2008
26 January 2009
10 March 2010
15 June 2009
16 August 2007
18 October 2011
13 August 2007
16 August 2007
8 February 2013
5 January 2008
29 February 2008
19 March 2010
13 August 2007
1 April 2009
11 September 2007
27 January 2009
3 October 2011
21 September 2007
11 September 2007
11 November 2007

20 August 2010
19 August 2010
6 May 2007
11 September 2007
16 August 2007
11 September 2007
9 October 2007
21 September 2007
4 March 2008
13 September 2009
13 September 2009
25 August 2009
14 October 2009
7 August 2010
19 August 2010
6 February 2008
11 September 2007
11 September 2007
15 January 2009
9 August 2010
3 October 2007
8 October 2007
2 March 2008
13 September 2009
16 March 2010

4 March 2008
26 January 2009
26 January 2009
18 January 2009
3 October 2011
3 January 2008
29 February 2008
3 March 2008
8 February 2013
11 September 2007
9 February 2008
29 February 2008
3 March 2008
31 December 2008
24 January 2009
23 March 2009
16 August 2007
12 August 2007
23 March 2009
11 September 2007
11 September 2007
11 September 2007
22 November 2011
17 August 2007
16 August 2007

25 June 2009
11 September 2007
21 September 2007
31 December 2008
26 December 2013
25 October 2011
25 October 2011
11 September 2007
11 March 2007
12 August 2007
11 September 2007
11 September 2007
11 September 2007
29 February 2008
30 December 2008
23 January 2009
27 January 2009
15 January 2009
3 October 2011
25 October 2011
3 March 2008
3 March 2008
20 April 2009
11 September 2007
11 September 2007

23 March 2009
27 April 2009
13 September 2009
14 October 2009
7 March 2011
12 October 2013
8 October 2013
26 November 2013
4 December 2013
11 March 2008
29 February 2008
25 November 2013
1 September 2013
9 February 2008
3 March 2008
27 October 2009
4 November 2013
3 March 2008
30 March 2011
29 February 2008
24 August 2011
20 April 2009
31 December 2008
19 August 2010
5 November 2007