List of asteroids
Encyclopedia
This is a list of numbered minor planet
s in the solar system, in numerical order.
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 (the first nameless minor planet being number 3708).
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 planet
s and several more are likely to achieve this classification.
"), 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.
Minor planet
An asteroid group or minor-planet group is a population of minor planets that have a share broadly similar orbits. Members are generally unrelated to each other, unlike in an asteroid family, which often results from the break-up of a single asteroid...
s in the solar system, in numerical order.
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 (the first nameless minor planet being number 3708).
For a short list of notable asteroids, see list of notable asteroids, and for notable minor planets beyond Neptune
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun in the Solar System. Named for the Roman god of the sea, it is the fourth-largest planet by diameter and the third largest by mass. Neptune is 17 times the mass of Earth and is slightly more massive than its near-twin Uranus, which is 15 times...
's orbit, see trans-Neptunian object
Trans-Neptunian object
A trans-Neptunian object is any minor planet in the Solar System that orbits the Sun at a greater distance on average than Neptune.The first trans-Neptunian object to be discovered was Pluto in 1930...
and list of plutoid candidates.
Five minor planets have been classified as dwarf planet
Dwarf planet
A dwarf planet, as defined by the International Astronomical Union , is a celestial body orbiting the Sun that is massive enough to be spherical as a result of its own gravity but has not cleared its neighboring region of planetesimals and is not a satellite...
s and several more are likely to achieve this classification.
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 "Toutatis4179 Toutatis
4179 Toutatis/1989 AC is an Apollo, Alinda, and Mars-crosser asteroid with a chaotic orbit produced by a 3:1 resonance with the planet Jupiter, a 1:4 resonance with the planet Earth, and frequent close approaches to the terrestrial planets...
"), 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
719 Albert
719 Albert is a Mars-crossing, Amor asteroid; it was the second one discovered after 433 Eros.-Discovery:Discovered in 1911 by Johann Palisa, the asteroid was named after one of the Imperial Observatory in Vienna's major benefactors, Albert Salomon von Rothschild, who had died some months before...
.
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
Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research
The Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research project is a cooperative project between the United States Air Force, NASA, and MIT's Lincoln Laboratory for the systematic discovery and tracking of near-Earth asteroids. LINEAR was responsible for the majority of asteroid detections since 1998 until...
, 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
69230 Hermes
-External links:* * *...
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. SchmadelLutz D. SchmadelLutz D. Schmadel is a German astronomer who works at the Astronomisches Rechen-Institut of the University of Heidelberg.He is a prolific discoverer of asteroids. His special interest is the orbit/course of the asteroids...
, ISBN 3-540-00238-3 - The Names of the Minor Planets, Paul HergetPaul HergetPaul Herget was an American astronomer.Herget taught astronomy at the University of Cincinnati. He was a pioneer in the use of machine methods, and eventually digital computers, in the solving of scientific and specifically astronomical problems .During World War II he applied these same talents...
, 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 planetMinor planetAn asteroid group or minor-planet group is a population of minor planets that have a share broadly similar orbits. Members are generally unrelated to each other, unlike in an asteroid family, which often results from the break-up of a single asteroid...
(for links to articles on particular groups and families, some of which have lists) - Minor Planet CenterMinor Planet CenterThe Minor Planet Center operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory , which is part of the Center for Astrophysics along with the Harvard College Observatory ....
- Pronunciation of asteroid namesPronunciation of asteroid namesThis page alphabetically lists the first thousand asteroids to be numbered, which are mostly in the main belt.See also Pronunciation of Trojan asteroids.-A:...
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)