Minor Planet Center
The Minor Planet Center is the international clearing house that collects observations and orbits of asteroids and comets.
The Minor Planet Center is the official body, working under the International Astronomical Union, that receives observations of asteroids, comets and other small bodies from observatories around the world. It is based at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
When a survey spots a moving object, it reports positions and times. The Center checks whether the object is already known, calculates its orbit and, if it is new, gives it a provisional designation. Once the orbit is secure, the object receives a permanent number and may later be named by its discoverers. Millions of observations are processed every year.
The Center also posts unconfirmed new objects so that other astronomers can follow them up. This is vital when a newly found object might pass close to Earth, because quick follow-up allows its orbit and any impact chance to be worked out within hours.
Related terms
Level: Enthusiast Teens and adults