List of minor planets

Objects in the
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This is a list of numbered minor planets in the Solar System, in numerical order.

As of December 2011 there are 310,376 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

See also

References

  1. ^ "Minor Planet Statistics". Minor Planet Center. http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/lists/ArchiveStatistics.html. Retrieved 2010-09-28. 
  2. ^ "Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)-(5000)". Minor Planet Center. http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/lists/NumberedMPs000001.html. Retrieved 2010-09-28. 

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