Jaime Nomen head shot

Jaime Nomen

astronomer, Observatorio Astronómico de La Sagra (La Sagra Observatory)

Jaime Nomen represents the La Sagra Observatory (J75) and the La Sagra Sky Survey (LSSS) on the Spanish island of Mallorca. The LSSS is the most prolific European near-Earth object survey of all time. Only the three major NASA-funded surveys (Catalina, LINEAR, and Spacewatch) and the now-defunct WISE space mission score more discoveries than LSSS does.

Nomen and the La Sagra Observatory were awarded a Planetary Society Shoemaker Near-Earth Object Grant amounting to $7695 in 2010. The grant funded the purchase of a new, larger-format SBIG STL-1001 CCD camera that will significantly reduce their image readout times, enabling the discovery of nearby, fast-moving asteroids such as 2012 DA14.

Latest Articles

La Sagra Observatory discovers very near-Earth asteroid 2012 DA14

With a new CCD camera configured to shoot rapid, short exposures bought with a Planetary Society Shoemaker NEO Grant we caught near-Earth asteroid 2012 DA14.

Shoemaker NEO Grant Update: Asteroid discoveries from La Sagra

In spite of some bad weather conditions during the first part of this year, the new camera bought with funds from a Planetary Society Shoemaker Near Earth Object grant helped us to discover and confirm ten new near-Earth objects.

Latest Planetary Radio Appearances

Discovery of a New and Neighborly Asteroid

With Planetary Society help, La Sagra Observatory discovered big near-Earth object 2012 DA14. Guest: Jaime Nomen.