Asteroid Occultation

Asteroid occultation studies aim to detect the brief dimming of a star's light as an asteroid passes in front of it, providing valuable data on asteroid size and shape. Current research heavily utilizes convolutional neural networks (CNNs), including custom-designed architectures and established models like YOLOv4, to efficiently analyze large datasets from both professional and citizen science telescope networks, automating the detection process and improving accuracy. This automated analysis significantly accelerates the rate of asteroid characterization, enhancing our understanding of asteroid populations and potentially improving planetary defense strategies.