IAU Minor Planet Center

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> <base href="/iau/"> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/stylesheets/mpc.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/stylesheets/table-sorter.css"> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8"> <link media="all" rel="stylesheet" href="/css/all.css"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/iau/figs/MPClogo16.png"> <meta name="description" content="We are the official body that deals with astrometric observations and orbits of minor planets (asteroids) and comets."> <meta name="keywords" content="astrometry, observations, orbits, minor planets, asteroids, comets, near earth objects, potentially hazardous asteroids"> <script type="text/javascript" src="/js/jquery-latest.js"></script>   <script type="text/javascript" src="/js/jquery.tablesorter.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" 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href="https://mpc-service.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portals">Helpdesk</a></li> </ul> </nav>  <div class="form-holder">   <form class="search-form" method="get" action="https://www.google.com/search"> <fieldset>  <input type="hidden" name="sitesearch" value="minorplanetcenter.net"> <input type="text" onfocus="if(this.value==this.defaultValue)this.value='';" onblur="if(this.value=='')this.value=this.defaultValue;" id="search" name="q" value="Search MPC"> </fieldset> </form> </div> <div class="social-bar">     </div> </div> </div> <nav class="nav-holder">  <ul id="nav"> <li> <a href="/iau/mpc.html"><span>OBSERVERS</span></a> <ul> <li><a href="/iau/MPEph/MPEph.html">Ephemeris Service</a></li> <li><a href="/mpec/RecentMPECs.html">MPECs</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/NEO/toconfirm_tabular.html">NEO Confirmation</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/NEO/pccp_tabular.html">Possible Comet Confirmation</a></li> <li><a href="/mpcops/submissions/cometary/">Report Cometary Activity</a></li> <li><a href="/db_search">Orbits/Observations Database</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/Ephemerides/EphemOrbEls.html" class="nested">Orbital Elements</a> <ul> <li><a href="/iau/MPCORB.html">MPCORB</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/ECS/MPCAT/MPCAT.html">MPCAT</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/ECS/MPCUPDATE/MPCUPDATE.html">MPCUPDATE</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/Ephemerides/SoftwareEls.html">Orbital Elements for Software</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/iau/services/MPCServices.html">Publications Overview</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html">Publications Archive</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/NEO/TheNEOPage.html" class="nested">NEO Services</a> <ul> <li><a href="/iau/NEO/toconfirm_tabular.html">Confirmation</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/NEO/PossNEO.html">Ratings</a></li> <li><a href="/cgi-bin/neaobs.cgi">Observation Planning Aid</a></li> <li><a href="/neocp_followup_report/">NEOCP Followup Report Form</a></li> <li><a href="/neocp_followup_reports/">NEOCP Followup Reports</a></li> <li><a href="/neocp_obs">NEOCP Recent Observations</a></li> <li><a href="/mpcops/neocp/neocp_plots/">NEOCP Plots</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/recovery/recovery.html">NEO Recovery</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="" class="nested">Observations</a> <ul> <li><a href="/wamo/">WAMO</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/mpcops/orbits/" class="nested">Orbits</a> <ul> <li><a href="https://data.minorplanetcenter.net/comparison/index.html">Orbit Comparison Tool</a></li> <li><a href="/mpcops/orbits/no-orbits-astrometry/">Request for archival astrometry</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/iau/services/WebCSAccess.html" class="nested">Other Observer Services</a> <ul> <li><a href="/whatsup">Observing Target List</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/NatSats/NaturalSatellites.html">Natural Satellite Ephemerides</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/MPEph/NewObjEphems.html">New Object Ephemerides</a></li> <li><a href="/cgi-bin/checkmp.cgi">MPChecker</a></li>  <li><a href="/iau/lists/Customize.html">Observing List Customizer</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/delays/neocp_delay.html">Processing Times</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/" class="nested">Identifications</a> <ul> <li><a href="/mpcops/documentation/identifications/">Documentation</a></li> <li><a href="/mpcops/documentation/identifications/submission-format/">Submission Format</a></li> <li><a href="/mpcops/submissions/identifications/">Submit</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/iau/ECS/MPCAT-OBS/MPCAT-OBS.html">MPCAT-OBS</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/SkyCoverage.html">Sky Coverage</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/MPC_Documentation.html" class="nested">Documentation</a> <ul> <li><a href="/iau/info/TechInfo.html">MPC Submission Info</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/info/Astrometry.html">Astrometry Guide</a></li> <li><a href="/mpcops/documentation/artificial-satellites/">Artificial Satellites</a></li> <li><a href="/submit_action_code">Submit Action Code</a></li> <li><a href="/mpcops/documentation/">Other</a></li>  </ul> </li> <li><a href="/iau/lists/Lists.html" class="nested">Lists and Plots</a> <ul> <li><a href="/iau/lists/MPLists.html">Minor Planets</a></li>  <li><a href="/iau/lists/CometLists.html">Comets</a></li>  <li><a href="/iau/lists/ObsCodesF.html">Observatory Codes</a></li> <li><a href="/iau/Animations/Animations.html">Animations</a></li> </ul> </li>  <li><a href='/mpc/obs_stats_2014_2018'>2014-18 NEO Obs Statistics</a></li> <li><a href='/mpc/summary'>Summary of Latest Data</a></li> <li><a href='/deprecated-pages.html'>Deprecated Webpages</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/data"><span>DATA</span></a></li> <li><a href="/"><span>NEW</span></a> <ul> <li><a href="/mpcops/new/developments/">Developments</a></li>  <li><a href="/mpcops/new/existing-upgrades/">Existing Upgrades</a></li> <li><a href="/mpcops/new/newsletters/">Newsletters</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/iau/MPCStatus.html"><span style="color:GoldenRod">STATUS</a></li> <li><a href="/mpcops/documentation/"><span>DOCUMENTATION</span></a></li> <li><a href="/"><span>EXTERNAL</span></a> <ul id="external"> <li><a href="https://mpcmug.astro.umd.edu/" target="_blank">MPC User Group (MUG)</a></li> <li><a href="http://iawn.net/" target="_blank">IAWN</a></li> <li><a href="https://sbnmpc.astro.umd.edu/" target="_blank">SBN Annex</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.wgsbn-iau.org/" target="_blank">WGSBN</a></li> <li><a href='http://alcdef.org'>Light Curve Database</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav> </header> <script type="text/javascript"> document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () { const listItems = document.querySelectorAll('#nav li '); function getDirectTextContent(element) { let directTextContent = ''; element.childNodes.forEach(node => { if (node.textContent.trim().includes('OBSERVERS') || node.textContent.trim().includes('DATA') || node.textContent.trim().includes('NEW') || node.textContent.trim().includes('STATUS') || node.textContent.trim().includes('DOCUMENTATION') || node.textContent.trim().includes('EXTERNAL')){ directTextContent += node.textContent.trim(); } }); return directTextContent; } listItems.forEach(function (li) { const directText = getDirectTextContent(li); const textLength = directText.length; // Log the length of each item to the console //console.log(`Text: "${li.textContent.trim()}", Length: ${textLength}`); // Apply class based on length if (textLength <= 5) { li.classList.add('short-word'); } else if (textLength <= 10) { li.classList.add('medium-word'); } else { li.classList.add('long-word'); } }); }); </script>  <div id="main">  <li class="yuimenuitemlabel alert"> MPC Preparation <a href="/iau/info/MPCOpStatus.html">(Info)</a></li>   <p> The <strong>Minor Planet Center</strong> (MPC) operates at the <a href="http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/sao/">Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory</a> (SAO), under the auspices of Division F (formerly Division III and, before that, Commission 20) of the <a href="http://www.iau.org/">International Astronomical Union</a> (IAU). The Minor Planet Center derives its operating budget from a five-year NASA grant. <p> The MPC is responsible for the designation of minor bodies in the solar system: minor planets; comets; and natural satellites. The MPC is also responsible for the efficient collection, computation, checking and dissemination of astrometric observations and orbits for minor planets and comets, via its <a href="/iau/services/MPCServices.html">various journals</a>: <ul> <li><i>Minor Planet Circulars</i> (issued generally on a monthly basis) <li><i>Minor Planet Circulars Orbit Supplement (MPO)</i> (issued up to thirteen times per year) <li><i>Minor Planet Circulars Supplement (MPS)</i> (issued three or four times a month) <li><i>Minor Planet Electronic Circulars (MPECs)</i> (issued as necessary, generally at least once per day) </ul>  <p><hr><p> <h2>MPC Publications and Services</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/iau/services/MPCServices.html">Publications and services overview</a>. <li><a href="/iau/info/TechInfo.html">How do I report material to the MPC</a>? Notes and technical details. <ul> <li class="sublist"><a href="https://cgi.minorplanetcenter.net/cgi-bin/feedback_submit_obs.cgi?S=Observation%20submission%20via%20website&D=O">Submit astrometric observations via a web form</a>. <ul> <li>Please note that you must include the AC2 keyword in the observational header if you wish to receive an ACK. </ul> <li class="sublist"><a href="info/commandlinesubmissions.html">Information of how to submit observation batches from the command line via cURL</a> <li class="sublist"><a href="https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpcops/documentation/identifications/">Submit identifications</a> <li class="sublist"><a href="info/Conversion.html">Information we need from observers</a> in order to start using the new observation format. </ul> <li><a href="/mpec/RecentMPECs.html">On-line <i>MPECs</i></a>. <li><a href="/iau/services/WebCSAccess.html">Web access to the computer services</a>. <ul> <li class="sublist">Brief descriptions of and information on how to access the various Web-based services, including PDF versions of the <i>MPCs</i>, <i>MPOs</i> and <i>MPSs</i>. </ul> <li><a href="/iau/Ack/TamkinFoundation.html">Support for computer equipment used by the MPC is provided by the Tamkin Foundation</a>. </ul> <p><hr><p> <h2>Services for Observers</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/iau/NEO/toconfirm_tabular.html">The NEO Confirmation Page</a> <ul> <li class="sublist"><a href="NEO/ToConfirm.html">The NEO Confirmation Page (in discovery order)</a>. <li class="sublist"><a href="NEO/ToConfirmRA.html">The NEO Confirmation Page (in R.A. order)</a>. <li class="alert">NEO candidate last added/updated (or page modified) on Nov. 24.68 UT. <li class="alert">There are 81 NEO candidates in need of confirmation at the present time (Nov. 24.68 UT). </ul> <li><a href="/iau/NEO/PossNEO.html">Get NEO ratings for your observations</a>. <p> <li><a href="/iau/NEO/TheNEOPage.html">The NEO Page</a>. <ul> <li class="sublist">The <a href="https://cgi.minorplanetcenter.net/cgi-bin/neaobs.cgi"> NEA Observations Planning Aid</a>. <li class="sublist"><a href="NEO/LastObsNEO.html"> Date of Last Observation of NEOs</a> not seen in a while, with easy access to ephemerides. <li class="sublist">Lists of <a href="NEO/BrightRecovery.html"> bright</a> and <a href="NEO/FaintRecovery.html">faint</a> recovery opportunities for old one-opposition objects. </ul> <li><a href="/iau/MPEph/MPEph.html">Minor Planet & Comet Ephemeris Service</a> (MPES) <ul> <li class="sublist">Generate current ephemerides for an arbitrary list of (up to 100) minor planets and comets. <li class="sublist">Generate an HTML page that you can put on your own web site to encourage others to follow-up your discoveries. <ul> <li class="sub-sublist"><a href="MPEph/FollowUp.html">A collection of links to follow-up pages</a> </ul> </ul> <li><a href="/iau/NatSats/NaturalSatellites.html">Natural Satellites Ephemeris Service</a> <ul> <li class="sublist">Generate ephemerides for the outer irregular satellites of the giant planets. </ul> <li><a href="/iau/MPEph/NewObjEphems.html">New Object Ephemeris Generator</a> <ul> <li class="sublist">Generate ephemerides for "new" discoveries before assignment of official provisional designations. </ul> <li>Identifying objects <ul> <li class="sublist"><a href="https://cgi.minorplanetcenter.net/cgi-bin/checkmp.cgi"> MPChecker</a> checks possible new minor planet suspects against known objects. <li class="sublist"><a href="https://cgi.minorplanetcenter.net/cgi-bin/checkneo.cgi"> NEOChecker</a> checks possible new NEO suspects against known objects. <li class="sublist"><a href="https://cgi.minorplanetcenter.net/cgi-bin/checkcmt.cgi"> CMTChecker</a> checks possible new comet suspects against known objects. <li class="sublist"><a href="https://cgi.minorplanetcenter.net/cgi-bin/checkneocmt.cgi"> NEOCMTChecker</a> checks possible new NEO and comet suspects against known objects. </ul> <li><a href="/iau/MPCORB.html">MPC Orbit Database (MPCORB)</a> <ul> <li class="sublist">Download the freely-accessible MPC Orbit Database (MPCORB) </ul> <li><a href="/iau/artsats/artsats.html">The Distant Artificial Satellites Observation page</a> <ul> <li class="sublist"> Allows you to observe artificial objects that may (or have been) confused with natural objects. </ul> <li><a href="/iau/info/Astrometry.html">Guide to Minor Body Astrometry</a> <ul> <li class="sublist">Notes for new or potential astrometric observers. [Updated 2017 September 7] </ul> <li><a href="/iau/TNO/LastObsTNO.html">Dates of Last Observation of Distant Objects</a> <ul> <li class="sublist">An MPES-aware listing of the dates of last observation of Centaurs, TNOs and SDOs. </ul> <p> <li><a href="/iau/SkyCoverage.html">Sky coverage</a> <ul> <li class="sublist">Displays which parts of the sky have been searched recently. <li class="sublist">Add your own coverage information. </ul> <li>The Observation Summary Pages are no longer available, since the full <i>MPC</i>/<i>MPO</i>/<i>MPS</i> batches are freely available in the <a href="/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html">MPCArchive</a> service. <ul> <li class="sublist"><a href="ObsSummary/ObsSummary.html">Preliminary version of Observer Summary pages</a> (for checking purposes). </ul> <li><a href="Ephemerides/EphemOrbEls.html">Ephemerides and orbital elements</a> for comets, NEOs, distant objects and bright minor planets. <li><a href="lists/Customize.html">Prepare customized versions of the observable-object lists</a>. <li><a href="VideoObs/VideoNormalPlaces.html">Prepare mini normal places</a> from measurements obtained from GPS-tagged video fames. <ul> <li><a href="info/AGuidetoVideoAstrometry.pdf">Updated guide to making observations from GPS-tagged video frames.</a> [Added 2015 July 17] </ul> </ul> <p><hr><p> <h2>Large Data Sets</h2> Access the large observation and orbit data files generated by the MPC. <ul> <li><a href="ECS/MPCAT/MPCAT.html">MPCAT</a>: Complete (and update) orbit files <li><a href="ECS/MPCAT-OBS/MPCAT-OBS.html">MPCAT-OBS</a>: Observation files <li><a href="ECS/MPCUPDATE/MPCUPDATE.html">MPCUPDATE</a>: Files associated with <i>MPC</i> batches <li><a href="/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html">MPCArchive</a>: PDF versions of the MPC's various journals. <li><a href="/data">Data sets</a>: Links to text and JSON versions of various data files. [Added 2016 Apr. 21] </ul> <p><hr><p> <h2>Documentation</h2> <ul> <li><a href="MPC_Documentation.html">Documentation</a> about the various aspects of the MPC's operations. </ul> <p><hr><p> <h2>Lists and plots</h2> <ul> <li>All sorts of <a href="lists/Lists.html">tabulations and plots</a>, including NEO tables and lists of minor planet names. <li><a href="Animations/Animations.html">The Animations Page</a>: A collection of various animations prepared at the MPC. <li><a href="WhatsNew.html">List of new features on these pages</a>. [Updated 2016 Apr. 16] <li>Details on <a href="http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/">stellar occultations by minor planets</a> from IOTA. </ul> <p><hr><p> <h2>Miscellaneous</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/db_search">MPC Database</a> <li><a href="/light_curve">Light Curve Database</a> <li><a href="TheIndex.html">Index</a> of the MPC pages.  <li><a href="https://cgi.minorplanetcenter.net/cgi-bin/feedback.cgi?U=/iau/mpc.html&S=Feedback&D=M"> User-feedback form</a> <li><a href="MPCStatus.html">Status of the MPC web site and cgi scripts</a> <li><a href="EMailWoes.html">Known problems with contacting certain e-mail addresses</a>. </ul>  </div> </div> </div>  <footer id="footer"> <div class="holder"> <nav class="nav"> <ul> <li><a href="/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="/about">About</a></li>  <li><a href="https://mpc-service.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portals">Helpdesk</a></li>  </ul> </nav> <a href="https://www.cfa.harvard.edu"> <img src="/images/CfA_Logo_Vertical_CMYK.png" width="110" height="47"></a> <p> <p> <p> <div class="copy">The Minor Planet Center is hosted by the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian.<center>The Minor Planet Center is funded by NASA.</center></div> </footer> <script type="text/javascript"> $(window).on('load', (function() { $("table").tablesorter(); })); </script> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ var _tag=new WebTrends(); _tag.dcsGetId(); //]]> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ _tag.dcsCustom=function(){ // Add custom parameters here. //_tag.DCSext.param_name=param_value; } _tag.dcsCollect(); //]]> </script> <noscript> <div><img alt="DCSIMG" id="DCSIMG" width="1" height="1" src="//logs1.smithsonian.museum/dcsa7yzrmbdzpxzrosrn4tyep_5i1d/njs.gif?dcsuri=/nojavascript&WT.js=No&WT.tv=9.4.0&dcssip=www.minorplanetcenter.net"/></div> </noscript> </body> </html>

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