CCD-OBSERVATIONS OF ASTEROIDS: ACCURACY AND THE NEAREST PERSPECTIVES
   FOR APPLICATION OF THE LAPLACE'S ORBIT DETERMINATION METHOD
              O.P.Bykov, Pulkovo observatory, Russia
                   E-mail: ceres@iipah.spb.su

   The modern crowded CCD-observations of the Solar system small bodies are
very effective and accurate. Author continues the investigation of a compa-
rable precision of CCD and Photo positional asteroids observations published
in the Minor Planet Circulars. The former author's conclusion about the more
high accuracy of CCD asteroids observations as relating to Photo ones is co-
nfirmed again.
   CCD observations of any celestial body provide the close positions cove-
red a short topocentric arc - from several hours during one night to several
successive nights at a single observatory. Statistical treatment of these
accurate near positions gives an opportunity to calculate the first and se-
cond derivatives of spherical asteroid coordinates and to determine the ele-
ments of circular or elliptical orbit by means of the classical Laplacian
method. This orbital elements are, of course, preliminary but very close to
the real asteroid orbit. An author's great experience of orbital calculati-
ons with the use of the Laplacian method for the Near Earth Objects, the
Main Belt and Kuiper Belt asteroids observed by CCD technique allows to af-
firm that the Laplacian method can give a good result into a direct proces-
sing of CCD observations immediatly during their execution on a telescope
(for circular orbit) or several days after (for elliptical one).  The Lap-
lace's method can be successfully applied to solve the problem of faint as-
teroid identification and detailed study of asteroid population at the Main
and Kuiper Belts. For any observer this method can provide an independent
ephemeris service on the base of the own observations only.
Oleg Bykov