Paulo Holvorcem | Astronomical Software Developer

	Paulo Holvorcem
cv	I have a doctor's degree in Applied Mathematics (1994), and have done research in such areas as geophysical fluid mechanics and general relativity. Since 1996 I have been working in observational astronomy, with an emphasis in minor solar system bodies, and in the development of algorithms and software for the automation and efficient use of astronomical observatories. For more information, see my curriculum vitae, LinkedIn profile, and ResearchGate profile.
observations	I have been observing minor bodies of the solar system with CCD cameras and various telescopes since 1996. My observations have concentrated on searches for new minor bodies (took part in the discovery of 13 comets and 13 NEOs with telescopes up to 0.5-m aperture) and astrometric follow-up of NEOs and comets (published over 44,700 NEO observations and recovered over 300 one-opposition NEOs at a second opposition). Between Feb. 4, 2015 and Feb. 3, 2018, I took part on the Tenagra Observatory NEO follow-up and recovery program (supported by a NASA NEOO grant), which has produced 29,430 observations of NEOs and recovered 184 one-opposition NEOs. More information about my published observations can be found here.
software	Several years ago, the need to automate and increase the efficiency of my own astronomical observations led me to develop the TAO (Tools for Automated Observing) software package. TAO includes a telescope scheduler, an observatory control script (which executes the scheduled observations and performs various other functions), and tools for creating and maintaining target databases (with special tools to handle data about minor solar system bodies). TAO has been used at various sites to obtain hundreds of thousands of CCD images, which led to significant science results in different areas of astronomy, including observations of exoplanet transits, follow-up of optical GRB counterparts, determination of asteroid lightcurves, discoveries of asteroids, comets, supernovae, and extragalactic novae. It has also been used by Pan-STARRS to simulate 10 years of the project's solar system searches. More information about TAO may be found here. If you would like to try TAO on your observing program, please contact me. I have also developed SkySift, an image processing pipeline, which automates the detection of moving objects and astronomical transients in CCD images resulting from NEO/comet/nova/supernova/transient surveys or from minor planet/comet follow-up programs. This pipeline has been used in the discoveries of tens of NEOs, comets, and other unusual minor planets, a growing number of novae, cataclismic variables and other transients, and more than 1,500 other asteroid discoveries. It has also been used in over 300 recoveries of one-opposition NEOs and in tens of thousands of NEO follow-up observations. If you would like to try SkySift on your NEO/comet/minor planet search or follow-up images, and/or to purchase a license, please contact me. You may also wish to check my presentation about SkySift at the 2015 Winter Star Party. Click on the image at left to view a slideshow illustrating the use of TAO and SkySift in the discovery and follow-up of NEOs and comets.
services	I have extensive experience in developing software for the automation of various tasks involved in the operation of automated observatories and observational programs, from nightly observation planning to image acquisition and processing and analysis of image data. I can provide custom programming services to astronomical projects, and also services in nightly observation planning, remote observatory operation (through the internet), data analysis, and mathematical modeling. For more information, please contact me.