The Center for Solar System Studies (CS3) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit entity. Its goals are to pursue advanced astronomical studies, including collaborative projects with universities, scientific agencies, and professional astronomers.
Although most of CS3 's programs is focused on asteroid studies, there are observing programs and instrumentation aimed at other solar system subjects. For example, we have a meteor detection camera. Its purpose is to detect bright bolides (fireballs) as they enter the atmosphere and to triangulate with similar cameras located within 100 miles. Data derived from these observations can be used to determine the orbits and origins of meteors that collide with the Earth. In addition, participates at CS3 study variable stars and galactic streams.
CS3 collaborates with institutions of higher learning in several ways. CS3 has an existing program that invites students from regional colleges and universities to conduct research programs to supplement their studies. We regularly collaborate with an astronomer at Illinois Wesleyan University on a Trojan asteroid research program using telescopes at our facility. We have also collaborated with teams of astronomers on observations of Ceres and Near Earth Objects.
Principals in CS3 are:
