Founder & Principal Researcher, Sky Plane Research LLC
ben.engebreth@gmail.com · Tucson, Arizona · benengebreth.org
Solar system object discovery; linking algorithms; orbit determination; data-processing pipelines for large astronomical surveys.
Independent Researcher, Solar System Object Discovery
Sky Plane Research LLC
Developing novel linking algorithms and data-processing pipelines for the discovery of solar system objects in large astronomical transient-source datasets. Thousands of new objects identified to date, including the first asteroids discovered in Vera C. Rubin Observatory data by a researcher outside the Rubin project. Ongoing results published at benengebreth.org.
Research Software Developer
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University
Developed a web-based analysis tool integrating real-time earthquake relocation algorithms with map and cross-sectional visualization in collaboration with geophysicist Felix Waldhauser.
Research Fellow
Eyebeam OpenLab
One-year research fellowship at Eyebeam, an art and technology nonprofit, building open-source web tools and datasets under the banner of R&D for the public domain. Produced Personal Kyoto, an electricity-use tracking application, and a tool for collecting and republishing bookmarks from del.icio.us. Collaborated with artist Evan Roth on White Glove Tracking, a crowdsourced study of Michael Jackson’s first moonwalk, and with artist Bill Dolson on synthetic meteor trajectories for the Reentry exhibition.
Engineer
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Designed and developed a MATLAB GUI for spacecraft trajectory optimization, including initial-guess software that supplies physically realistic starting conditions to the optimizer. Conducted preliminary design and feasibility studies for spacecraft trajectories.
Astral Codex Ten (ACX) Grants
$6,000 for compute to search for solar system objects in MPC and Rubin data. Link
Self-published technical reports documenting algorithm development and results from solar system object discovery research. Full archive at benengebreth.org.
Discovered 3 previously missed objects in secondary search of Vera C. Rubin DP1 data
First asteroids discovered in Vera C. Rubin Observatory data by a researcher outside the Rubin project. First program code issued by MPC to non-Rubin project member. Link
Annual MPC Identifications
ITF-ITF: 2,955; DES-DES: 370. Link
Fourtify
Finds additional sources along a specified orbit in a transient source dataset in order to extend linkages to 4+ nights. Link
SBIdent
Open-source Python client for NASA JPL’s Small Body Identification API which returns astrometric positions of known solar system objects for a given field of view. Link
Programmer
camelcamelcamel.com
First engineering hire and one of two core developers at camelcamelcamel, widely regarded as the premier Amazon.com price-tracking tool. Responsible for all aspects of site direction, design, development, and maintenance. Employee 2010 – 2023; consultant 2023 – present, in order to focus on solar system object discovery.
Programmer & Data Analyst
Department of Numbers / HousingTracker (Independent)
Built and operated deptofnumbers.com and housingtracker.net. HousingTracker was widely cited in the runup to and aftermath of the housing bubble as a source for real-time housing price and inventory data; Department of Numbers tracked economic time series including unemployment, jobs, rent, and income. Consulting clients have included hedge funds, Wall Street research firms, and government agencies.
Programmer & Data Analyst
Majestic Research
Worked in the company’s R&D group developing new, informative research products from proprietary datasets, synthesizing disparate data sources into economic and financial analysis for clients.
Updated: June 2026