Thunderbird South is used in collaboration with other telescopes around the world, publishing new findings as often as possible. Here is a list of all of the publications made using the telescope up to this date!
Our telescope has the observeratory location code X25, as registered with the Minor Planet Center (MPC). You will find this code often in reference to our findings!
Click here to view our Selected Publication Image Data!
Balam, D. D., Boley, A. C., & Chan, S. (2026, July 3). DAO and UBC Southern Observatory photometric follow-up of selected transients 2026-IIII (May/June 2026) (AstroNote 2026-207). Transient Name Server. https://www.wis-tns.org/astronotes/astronote/2026-207
Reports SDSS g&r-filter photometry from the DAO 1.82-m Plaskett telescope alongside Kron-Cousins B, V, and R differential photometry from the UBC Southern Observatory 0.5-m telescope for a set of optical transients observed during May–June 2026. Host-galaxy light is removed either via PSF-matched PanSTARRS reference-image subtraction or IRAF model-galaxy subtraction, with measurements reduced in IRAF and tabulated in an attached data file.
Minor Planet Center. (2026, June 18). MPEC 2026-M30: Comet orbital elements. International Astronomical Union; Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K26/K26M30.html
Circular providing updated orbital elements for multiple comets using observations through mid-June 2026. Station X25 (UBC Southern Observatory) contributed astrometry, with observer A. C. Boley and measurers D. D. Balam and A. C. Boley, using a 0.50-m reflector + CCD.
Minor Planet Center. (2026, June 9). MPEC 2026-L50: Comet orbital elements. International Astronomical Union; Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K26/K26L50.html
Circular providing updated orbital elements for multiple comets using observations through early June 2026. Station X25 (UBC Southern Observatory) contributed astrometry, with observer S. Chan and measurers D. D. Balam and A. C. Boley, using a 0.50-m reflector + CCD.
Balam, D. D., Boley, A. C., & Chan, S. (2026, May 27). UBC Southern Observatory photometric follow-up of probable galactic nova 2026nmo (AstroNote 2026-155). Transient Name Server. https://www.wis-tns.org/astronotes/astronote/2026-155
Reports Johnson-Cousins filter differential photometry and astrometry of probable galactic nova 2026nmo, obtained with the UBC Thunderbird Southern Observatory 0.5-m telescope on UT 2026 May 27. Measurements include V-band magnitude and B−V, V−R colours, along with a precise astrometric position.
Minor Planet Center. (2026, May 22). MPEC 2026-K60: Comet orbital elements. International Astronomical Union; Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K26/K26K60.html
Circular providing updated orbital elements for multiple comets using observations through May 2026. Station X25 (UBC Southern Observatory) contributed astrometry, with observers S. Chan, A. Schildhorn, and A. Araleh, and measurers D. D. Balam and A. C. Boley using a 0.50-m reflector.
Balam, D. D., Boley, A. C., Chan, S., & Schildhorn, A. (2026, May 14). DAO and UBC Southern Observatory photometric follow-up of selected transients 2026-III (May 2026) (AstroNote 2026-134). Transient Name Server. https://www.wis-tns.org/astronotes/astronote/2026-134
Reports May 2026 photometric follow-up of 14 optical transients using the Plaskett telescope and UBC Southern Observatory. The dataset includes Type Ia and Type II supernovae and a cataclysmic variable (CV), with host galaxy light subtracted via PanSTARRS reference imaging and IRAF.
Minor Planet Center. (2026, May 10). MPEC 2026-J67: Daily orbit update (2026 May 10). International Astronomical Union; Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K26/K26J67.html
Circular listing updated osculating orbital elements for previously numbered minor planets. This issue is a routine numbered-orbit update and does not contain comet astrometry or any Station X25 (UBC Southern Observatory) observations.
Minor Planet Center. (2026, May 5). MPEC 2026-J11: Observations and orbits of comets and A/ objects. International Astronomical Union; Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K26/K26J11.html
Follow-up circular with updated astrometry and orbital solutions for comets and A/ objects, including continued tracking of A/2026 E1 with observations from Station X25.
Balam, D. D., Boley, A. C., & Chan, S. (2026, April 28). DAO and UBC Southern Observatory photometric follow-up of selected transients 2026-II (AstroNote 2026-117). Transient Name Server. https://www.wis-tns.org/astronotes/astronote/2026-117
Presents g&r (Plaskett/DAO) and Kron-Cousins V&R (UBC Southern) photometric follow-up of eight optical transients during April 2026, including confirmed Type Ia and Type II supernovae. Data tables and secondary photometric standards are provided.
Minor Planet Center. (2026, April 22). MPEC 2026-H101: A/2026 E1. International Astronomical Union; Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K26/K26HA1.html
Circular announcing and providing orbital elements for A/2026 E1, a hyperbolic object initially designated under the A/ (interstellar or dynamically unusual) classification. Station X25 contributed observations to this object’s orbit determination.
Minor Planet Center. (2026, April 21). MPEC 2026-H88: Observations and orbits of comets and A/ objects. International Astronomical Union; Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K26/K26H88.html
Reports updated astrometry and orbital elements for comets and A/ objects. Station X25 contributed observations of comet C/2025 A6.
Minor Planet Center. (2026, April 14). MPEC 2026-G135: Observations and orbits of comets and A/ objects. International Astronomical Union; Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K26/K26GD5.html
Reports astrometric observations and updated orbital solutions for comets and interstellar-candidate (A/) objects. Includes follow-up data from Station X25 on comet 3I.
Balam, D. D., & Boley, A. C. (2026, April 12). DAO and UBC Southern Observatory photometric follow-up of selected transients (AstroNote 2026-99). Transient Name Server. https://www.wis-tns.org/astronotes/astronote/2026-99
Reports multi-filter photometric observations of selected optical transients from March–April 2026 using the Plaskett telescope (DAO) and the UBC Southern Observatory’s 0.5-m CCD telescope. Includes observations of 18 transients, among them confirmed supernovae (Types Ia and II).