All proceeds support the discovery of asteroids on the Asteroid Discovery Analysis and Mapping (ADAM) platform.
Help us contribute to mapping the solar system by sponsoring an asteroid discovery on the ADAM platform. With your sponsorship, you’ll receive:
- A one-of-a-kind GIF of an asteroid discovered by our ADAM platform
- A link to the asteroid’s interactive orbit sketch and additional information on the Minor Planet Center’s website
- An official certificate of sponsorship showcasing your support for future asteroid discoveries on ADAM
When you sponsor an asteroid discovery through the B612 Foundation, you’re directly contributing to the development of the Asteroid Discovery Analysis and Mapping (ADAM) platform. This open-source astrodynamics platform enables us to help map the solar system by using cutting-edge algorithms to discover and track previously unknown asteroids. A comprehensive map of our solar system is needed for effective exploration and to protect Earth from asteroid impacts.
Sponsoring an asteroid discovery with B612 Foundation is an investment in scientific innovation. Your contribution supports the development of tools and technologies that advance our mission and the broader scientific community. Note that sponsorship does not imply ownership of the asteroid or naming rights.
What does your sponsorship fund?
Foster Scientific Innovation
Your contribution helps us develop new software tools and technologies that benefit the broader astronomical scientific community.
Join a Passionate Community
Your support connects you with people who share a vision of open-source tools, scientific discovery and space exploration.
Invest in the Earth’s Future
By funding ADAM, you are investing in our planet’s future by helping to find asteroids, including some that could hit Earth.
Empower Asteroid Discovery
When you sponsor an asteroid discovery, you’re contributing to the development of the computational astrodynamics platform.
Please Note: Only the International Astronomical Union can recognize official names for asteroids. Your sponsorship of our ADAM Discovery program directly supports the development of the Asteroid Discovery Analysis and Mapping (ADAM) platform. No ownership, no naming rights are conferred by your sponsorship.
Frequently Asked Questions
IS THIS SIMILAR TO “NAMING” or “REGISTERING” A STAR?
No, we are not selling naming rights. This is a way for people to support asteroid discovery work being done on the open-source Asteroid Discovery Analysis and Mapping (ADAM) Platform. No ownership or naming rights are conferred by your sponsorship.
BY SPONSORING AN ASTEROID DISCOVERY, DOES THAT MEAN I OWN THE ASTEROID AND HAVE NAMING RIGHTS?
No, you will not own that asteroid. Only the International Astronomical Union can recognize official names for asteroids. Rather, when you sponsor an asteroid discovery with B612, you are helping us build and operate the ADAM platform on which your discovery was made. No ownership or naming rights are conferred by your sponsorship.
CAN I SPONSOR AN ASTEROID DISCOVERY IN SOMEONE ELSE’S NAME?
Yes, you can sponsor an asteroid discovery for your spouse, your kids, a classroom, an astronomy club, or anyone else! When you reach the donation form, select “yes” to indicate that this sponsorship is a gift, and then enter the name or group you want to credit. The recipient will receive an email with you cc’d. No ownership or naming rights are conferred by your sponsorship to you or the recipient.
HOW WAS THE ASTEROID I SPONSORED DISCOVERED?
These asteroids were discovered by searching across billions of moving objects seen in existing astronomical data sets. The THOR algorithm running on ADAM is able to link together instances where the same asteroid was seen multiple times. If enough instances can be found, the orbit of that asteroid can be determined, and a discovery submission can be made to the Minor Planet Center for confirmation.
WHAT AM I LOOKING AT IN THE GIF?
The GIFs are made up of images used to make the asteroid discovery. The asteroid is in the middle of the green crosshairs. The arrow shows the direction of motion of the asteroid. Sometimes the exposure time of the image was long enough that you may notice that the asteroid appears streaked in that direction. The numbers at top tell you about when and where the image was taken. The first number is the date and time the image was taken in MJD (Modified Julian Date). The alphanumeric code after that is the Observatory Code (for example W84 is the Cerro Tololo Observatory Dark Energy Camera). The numbers RA and Dec are the Right Ascension and Declination, which are the angles on the sky showing the location of the asteroid at the time the image was taken. After that is the filter used to take the image (for example R is a red filter) and the number following that is the magnitude of the asteroid, which is a measure of its brightness (from which an estimate of the size of the asteroid can be made once the distance is accounted for). The last number 𝛥t is the exposure time of the image in seconds.
How much of my donation supports astronomy research?
All donations are subject to PayPal processing fees. After subtracting these fees, the remainder of your donation supports asteroid discovery and the development of the ADAM platform. There are no other deductions. You can make additional contributions in any amount by clicking here.
Can someone else sponsor an asteroid that I already sponsored?
No, asteroids that are already sponsored can never be sponsored by someone else.
Why haven't I received an email CONFIRMATION RIGHT AWAY?
Within a few minutes of your payment, our automated system will send you a confirmation email. If you do not see this email, please look in your junk email (spam) folder. We will then create your custom gif and certificate and email it to you within approximately 48 hours of purchase.
WHY DOES IT TAKE two business days TO GET MY GIF AND CERTIFICATE?
The simple answer is: we are making it just for you! Each GIF and certificate is custom-made. One day, we hope to automate this process, but for now, sit back and enjoy knowing that you are one of the first to enable asteroid discovery through our Sponsor an Asteroid Discovery program!
How can I locate my sponsored asteroid with a telescope?
Most of the time, your sponsored asteroid will be quite far from Earth and therefore only visible with large telescopes. However, we will provide you with a link to that asteroid’s interactive orbit sketch and more information on the Minor Planet Center’s website. Here is an example page of what you will receive. Be sure to click the “interactive orbit sketch button” to see where the asteroid orbits in the solar system. On the Minor Planet website you can see the orbit parameters of the asteroid, so if you do have access to a large telescope you can attempt to make further observations.
What if I have other questions or comments?
We are happy to answer any questions you may have! Send us an email to sponsor-discovery@b612foundation.org