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The '''Near Earth Asteroid Reconnaissance Project''' (N.E.A.R.) is a world-wide network of amateur astronomers and space scientists involved in the discovery and determination of the orbits of near-earth asteroids or more generally near-earth objects with possible earth-crossing orbits.  It takes advantage of the world-wide network of amateur astronomers who, equipped with modest telescopes with CCD detectors, guidance capability, and personal computers, are able to perform professional quality work in their own backyard observatories, together with professional astronomers at small observatories.  It was developed by astronomer Dr. Leslie M. Golden while he was a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  Its goals are to identify such objects to further the study of space science and to identify those that may be on collision path with earth to avoid catastrophic impact events such as those that led to the Tunguska event in Siberia and the mass extinction associated with dinosaur extinction by employing future avoidance strategies.  N.E.A.R.’s administrative and research offices are in Oak Park, Illinois.   

The '''Near Earth Asteroid Reconnaissance Project''' (N.E.A.R.) is a world-wide network of amateur astronomers and space scientists involved in the discovery and determination of the orbits of near-earth asteroids or more generally near-earth objects with possible earth-crossing orbits.  It takes advantage of the world-wide network of amateur astronomers who, equipped with modest telescopes with CCD detectors, guidance capability, and personal computers, are able to perform professional quality work in their own backyard observatories, together with professional astronomers at small observatories.  It was developed by astronomer [[Les Golden|Dr. Leslie M. Golden]] while he was a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  Its goals are to identify such objects to further the study of space science and to identify those that may be on collision path with earth to avoid catastrophic impact events such as those that led to the Tunguska event in Siberia and the mass extinction associated with dinosaur extinction by employing future avoidance strategies.  N.E.A.R.’s administrative and research offices are in Oak Park, Illinois.   

==Associates==

==Associates==

===Principal Investigator===

===Principal Investigator===

The N.E.A.R. Project was created and developed in 1994 by Leslie M. Golden when he was a professor in the physics department at the University of Illinois at Chicago.<ref>(1997), “Physics sails the world,” ''UIC News'' (University of Illinois at Chicago), April 30, p. 2</ref><ref>(1994), “Near Earth Asteroid Project,” ''Astronomy'',  April, p. 22</ref>  Among other activities, Dr. Les Golden was to be announced as a member of the second resident crew of Biosphere 2 from which the N.E.A.R. project was to have been directed when that project changed its focus to education rather than research.

The N.E.A.R. Project was created and developed in 1994 by Leslie M. Golden when he was a professor in the physics department at the University of Illinois at Chicago.<ref>(1997), “Physics sails the world,” ''UIC News'' (University of Illinois at Chicago), April 30, p. 2</ref><ref>(1994), “Near Earth Asteroid Project,” ''Astronomy'',  April, p. 22</ref>  Among other activities, [[Les Golden|Dr. Les Golden]] was to be announced as a member of the second resident crew of Biosphere 2 from which the N.E.A.R. project was to have been directed when that project changed its focus to education rather than research.

===Membership===

===Membership===

==Research==

==Research==

===Rationale for the Project===

===Rationale for the Project===

The N.E.A.R. project was begun with the realization of the catastrophic result of the collision of a large object with the earth.  An object which is 3 km in diameter, composed of material having a density of 5 g/cc (5000 kg/m^3), and traveling at 10 km/s, would possess a kinetic energy of  ½ mv^2 = 3.5 x 10^21 joules.  The TNT_equivalent|energy yield of the largest nuclear weapons is about 5 x 10^15 joules so that one large asteroid possesses the kinetic energy of approximately one million large nuclear weapons.

The N.E.A.R. project was begun with the realization of the catastrophic result of the collision of a large object with the earth.  An object which is 3 km in diameter, composed of material having a density of 5 g/cc (5000 kg/m³), and traveling at 10 km/s, would possess a kinetic energy of  ½ mv² = 3.5 x 10²¹ joules.  The TNT_equivalent|energy yield of the largest nuclear weapons is about 5 x 10¹⁵ joules so that one large asteroid possesses the kinetic energy of approximately one million large nuclear weapons.

===Identification of Candidate Objects===

===Identification of Candidate Objects===

===Discovering Asteroids===

===Discovering Asteroids===

Discovering asteroids is easily done because of their large proper motion|proper motions, the key to discovering near-earth objects.  An object orbiting the sun in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter will typically move about 10 seconds of arc over a 15-minute period. Near-earth objects will have larger proper motions both because they are closer to the earth and because, being closer to the sun, they have larger orbital velocity|orbital velocities.  Generally, the closer the asteroid to the earth, the brighter it is and the greater its angular distance of movement between observations.   

[[File: LesGoldenAsteroidDiscovery.jpg|thumb|left|175px|<small>The beginnings of the [[Near Earth Asteroid Reconnaissance Project]] was the subject of an article in <i>Compuserve Magazine</i>, which also discussed his being a writer for the Syndicated Writers’ Group reporting as a Halley’s Comet lecturer on the high seas.</small>]]Discovering asteroids is easily done because of their large proper motion|proper motions, the key to discovering near-earth objects.  An object orbiting the sun in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter will typically move about 10 seconds of arc over a 15-minute period. Near-earth objects will have larger proper motions both because they are closer to the earth and because, being closer to the sun, they have larger orbital velocity|orbital velocities.  Generally, the closer the asteroid to the earth, the brighter it is and the greater its angular distance of movement between observations.   

===Research Activities===

===Research Activities===

[http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/MPCORB.html Minor Planet Center Database (MPCORB)]</br>

[http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/MPCORB.html Minor Planet Center Database (MPCORB)]</br>

[http://www.geocities.ws/les_golden Principal Investigator]</br>

[http://www.geocities.ws/les_golden Principal Investigator]</br>

[http://www.mywikibiz.com/Directory:Les_Golden Background]

[http://www.mywikibiz.com/Directory:Les_Golden Background]</br>

[http://www.mywikibiz.com/Les_Golden Background]

[http://www.mywikibiz.com/Les_Golden Background]