- List of minor planets
-
Objects in the
Solar SystemCategories - Round objects
- Moons
- Minor planets
This is a list of numbered minor planets in the solar system, in numerical order.
As of November 2011[ref] there are 306,374 numbered minor planets, and about as many yet unnumbered. Most are not particularly noteworthy; only some 16,000 minor planets have been given names[1] (the first nameless minor planet being number 3708).[2]
For a short list of notable asteroids, see list of notable asteroids, and for notable minor planets beyond Neptune's orbit, see trans-Neptunian object and list of plutoid candidates.
Five minor planets have been classified as dwarf planets and several more are likely to achieve this classification.
Contents
Numbering and naming conventions
After discovery, asteroids generally receive a provisional designation (such as "1989 AC"), then a number (such as 4179), and finally (optionally) a name (such as "Toutatis"), in that order.
In modern times, an asteroid receives a sequential number only after its orbit is precisely known. Asteroids whose orbits are not (yet) precisely known are known by their provisional designation. This rule was not necessarily followed in earlier times, and some asteroids received a number but were subsequently "lost". All of these have now been recovered; the last "lost" numbered asteroid was 719 Albert.
Only after a number is assigned is the asteroid eligible to receive a name. Usually the discoverer has up to 10 years to pick a name; some asteroids remain unnamed. Especially towards the end of the twentieth century, with large-scale automated asteroid discovery programs such as LINEAR, the pace of discoveries has increased so much that it seems likely that the vast majority of minor planets will never receive names.
For the reasons mentioned above, the sequence of numbers only approximately matches the timeline of discovery. In extreme cases, such as "lost" asteroids, there may be a considerable mismatch: for instance the high-numbered 69230 Hermes was originally discovered in 1937, but it was a lost asteroid until 2003. Only after it was rediscovered could its orbit be established and a number assigned.
Index to lists of minor planets
The minor planets are listed in the following:
1–1000 10001–11000 20001–21000 30001–31000 40001–41000 1001–2000 11001–12000 21001–22000 31001–32000 41001–42000 2001–3000 12001–13000 22001–23000 32001–33000 42001–43000 3001–4000 13001–14000 23001–24000 33001–34000 43001–44000 4001–5000 14001–15000 24001–25000 34001–35000 44001–45000 5001–6000 15001–16000 25001–26000 35001–36000 45001–46000 6001–7000 16001–17000 26001–27000 36001–37000 46001–47000 7001–8000 17001–18000 27001–28000 37001–38000 47001–48000 8001–9000 18001–19000 28001–29000 38001–39000 48001–49000 9001–10000 19001–20000 29001–30000 39001–40000 49001–50000 50001–51000 60001–61000 70001–71000 80001–81000 90001–91000 51001–52000 61001–62000 71001–72000 81001–82000 91001–92000 52001–53000 62001–63000 72001–73000 82001–83000 92001–93000 53001–54000 63001–64000 73001–74000 83001–84000 93001–94000 54001–55000 64001–65000 74001–75000 84001–85000 94001–95000 55001–56000 65001–66000 75001–76000 85001–86000 95001–96000 56001–57000 66001–67000 76001–77000 86001–87000 96001–97000 57001–58000 67001–68000 77001–78000 87001–88000 97001–98000 58001–59000 68001–69000 78001–79000 88001–89000 98001–99000 59001–60000 69001–70000 79001–80000 89001–90000 99001–100000 100001–101000 110001–111000 120001–121000 130001–131000 140001–141000 101001–102000 111001–112000 121001–122000 131001–132000 141001–142000 102001–103000 112001–113000 122001–123000 132001–133000 142001–143000 103001–104000 113001–114000 123001–124000 133001–134000 143001–144000 104001–105000 114001–115000 124001–125000 134001–135000 144001–145000 105001–106000 115001–116000 125001–126000 135001–136000 145001–146000 106001–107000 116001–117000 126001–127000 136001–137000 146001–147000 107001–108000 117001–118000 127001–128000 137001–138000 147001–148000 108001–109000 118001–119000 128001–129000 138001–139000 148001–149000 109001–110000 119001–120000 129001–130000 139001–140000 149001–150000 150001–151000 160001–161000 170001–171000 180001–181000 190001–191000 151001–152000 161001–162000 171001–172000 181001–182000 191001–192000 152001–153000 162001–163000 172001–173000 182001–183000 192001–193000 153001–154000 163001–164000 173001–174000 183001–184000 193001–194000 154001–155000 164001–165000 174001–175000 184001–185000 194001–195000 155001–156000 165001–166000 175001–176000 185001–186000 195001–196000 156001–157000 166001–167000 176001–177000 186001–187000 196001–197000 157001–158000 167001–168000 177001–178000 187001–188000 197001–198000 158001–159000 168001–169000 178001–179000 188001–189000 198001–199000 159001–160000 169001–170000 179001–180000 189001–190000 199001–200000 200001–201000 210001–211000 201001–202000 211001–212000 202001–203000 212001–213000 203001–204000 213001–214000 204001–205000 (additional
named MPs)205001–206000 206001–207000 207001–208000 208001–209000 209001–210000 Books
- Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, 5th ed.: Prepared on Behalf of Commission 20 Under the Auspices of the International Astronomical Union, Lutz D. Schmadel, ISBN 3-540-00238-3
- The Names of the Minor Planets, Paul Herget, 1968
See also
- Minor-planet moon (includes list)
- List of minor planets named after people
- List of minor planets named after places
- List of comets
- List of Solar System bodies formerly regarded as planets
- List of trans-Neptunian objects
- Meanings of minor planet names
- Minor planet (for links to articles on particular groups and families, some of which have lists)
- Minor Planet Center
- Pronunciation of asteroid names
References
- ^ "Minor Planet Statistics". Minor Planet Center. http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/lists/ArchiveStatistics.html. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
- ^ "Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)-(5000)". Minor Planet Center. http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/lists/NumberedMPs000001.html. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
- MPC Archive Statistics (amount of observations, orbits and names)
- MPC Discovery Circumstances (minor planets by number)
External links
- Lists and plots: Minor Planets
- NASA Near Earth Object Program
- PDS Asteroid Data Archive
- SBN Small Bodies Data Archive
- JPL Minor Planet Database for physical and orbital data (of any Small Solar System Body or dwarf planet)
The Solar System Categories:- Lists of minor planets
- Lists of lists
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.