MPC Documentation

<!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" src="/js/webtrends.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/js/track_pdfs.js"></script> <link href='https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Arvo:400,700,400italic,700italic|PT+Sans:400,700,400italic,700italic|PT+Sans+Narrow:400,700' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'> <title>MPC Documentation</title> <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, observation, orbits, orbit, minor planets, minor planet, asteroids, asteroid, comets, comet"> </head>  <body>  <div id="wrapper"> <div class="w1">  <header id="header"> <div class="holder">  <h1 class="logo"><a href="/">The International Astronomical Union Minor Planet Center</a></h1> <div class="area">  <nav class="top-nav"> <ul> <li><a href="/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="/about">About</a></li> <li><a href="/mpcops/contact/">Contact</a></li> <li><a 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"> Processing <a href="/iau/info/MPCOpStatus.html">(Info)</a></li>  <br> <p> <h2>MPC Documentation</h2> Welcome to the Minor Planet Center's documentation page. Listed here are links to all the pages on our website that contain documentation on the various aspects of the MPC's operation. <p> Note that this is a work in progress and all links are not yet present. Please report non-functioning links (or requests for new documents) via the <a href="https://cgi.minorplanetcenter.net/cgi-bin/feedback.cgi?U=/iau/MPC_Documentation.html&S=Feedback&D=M">feedback form</a>. <p><hr><p> <h2>Orbital Elements</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/iau/info/OrbFormat.html">Export orbit formats</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/MPOrbitFormat.html">Export orbit format for minor planets</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/CometOrbitFormat.html">Export orbit format for comets</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/SatOrbitFormat.html">Export orbit format for natural satellites</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/Perturbers.html">Indication of perturbing bodies</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/UValue.html">Calculation of the orbital uncertainty parameter, U, and orbit quality codes</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/PackedDes.html">Packed designations</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/PackedDates.html">Packed dates</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/OrbNote.html">Alphabetic notes for orbits</a> </ul> <h2>Astrometric Observations</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/iau/info/ADES.html">The IAU-approved ADES format</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/ObsFormat.html">The current observation format</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/ObsNote.html">Alphabetic notes for observations</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/CatalogueCodes.html">Astrometric catalogue codes</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/References.html">References on observations</a> </ul> <h2>Designations</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/iau/info/OldDesDoc.html">New- and old-style minor planet designations</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/TempDesDoc.html">Temporary minor planet designations</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/PackedDes.html">Packed provisional and permanent designations</a> <li><a href="/iau/lists/CometResolution.html">Cometary designation system</a> <li><a href="/iau/lists/LastYear.html">Packed designations for comets discovered/recovered in the past year</a> <li><a href="/iau/lists/PeriodicCodes1.html">Periodic comet numbers</a> <li><a href="/iau/lists/DualStatus.html">Dual-Status objects</a> </ul> <h2>Observing Procedures</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/iau/info/Astrometry.html">Guide to Minor Body Astrometry</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/ObsDetails.html">How to specify observational details</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/TelescopeDetails.html">How to specify telescope details in the observational header</a> (Added 2004 August 2) <li><a href="/iau/info/MPES.pdf">Guide to using the MPES (PDF)</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/AGuidetoVideoAstrometry.pdf">Guide to video observing (PDF)</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/VideoNormalPlaces.html">A script to generate mini normal places from video frames</a> </ul> <h2>Pot Pourri</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/iau/lists/ObsCodesF.html">List of observatory codes (formatted)</a> <li><a href="/iau/lists/ObsCodes.html">List of observatory codes (plain text)</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/ObservatoryCodes.html">Observatory codes</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/PointingData.html">Pointing Data</a> <li><a href="/iau/info/MPECComputers.html">List of orbit computers (and other codes) on the Daily Orbit Update <i>MPECs</i></a> <li><a href="/iau/info/NonEnglish.html">Representing Non-English Characters</a> <li><a href="/iau/lists/ProgramCodes.txt">List of program codes</a> </ul> <h2>Low-level technical lists</h2> The links below contain low-level information generated during MPC operation or <i>MPC</i> preparation and are not formatted for casual viewing. <ul> <li><a href="/iau/special/AmateurDiscoveries.txt">Break down of amateur discoveries</a> <li><a href="/iau/special/CountObsByYear.txt">Yearly break down of observations</a> <li><a href="/iau/special/DesignationsStatus.txt">Status of designated objects (by year and half-month)</a> <li><a href="/iau/special/residuals.txt">Statistics on residuals from observations of minor planets, by observatory code</a> <li><a href="/iau/special/residuals2.txt">Statistics on residuals from observations of numbered minor planets, by observatory code</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>

CINXE.COM

MPC Documentation