Located in Malta, Flarestar Observatory was granted the Observatory Code:171 in order to conduct asteroid observations for the Minor Planet Centre (MPC).The MPC maintains the orbital database of all known asteroids and forms part of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics (USA). The MPC falls under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Since when Flarestar recieved its observatory code, several astrometric and photometric observations were performed by Stephen M. Brincat. Through observational collaborative campaigns with other observatories in the United States and other countries, the rotation period of several asteroids has been discovered.

The Observatory

The main instrument at Flarestar Observatory is a 0.25-m Meade computer controlled Schmidt-Casserrain telescope equipped with an astronomical CCD camera. This system is capable in detecting faint objects and thus can produce valuable scientific observations.

The observatory is designed to house the telescope only as it is operated remotely from a control room. Read more...

Research

Asteroid photometry is one of the main observational projects carried out at Flarestar.

Photometry is a useful tool for discovering the asteroid rotational periods. There is an urgent need for such work to be carried out as very few asteroids have their rotational periods known. Read more...