The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the official body for observing and reporting on
minor planet
According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a minor planet is an astronomical object in direct orbit around the Sun that is exclusively classified as neither a planet nor a comet. Before 2006, the IAU officially used the term ''minor ...
s under the auspices of the
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union (IAU; french: link=yes, Union astronomique internationale, UAI) is a nongovernmental organisation with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreac ...
(IAU). Founded in 1947, it operates at the
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
Function
The Minor Planet Center is the official worldwide organization in charge of collecting observational data for
minor planet
According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a minor planet is an astronomical object in direct orbit around the Sun that is exclusively classified as neither a planet nor a comet. Before 2006, the IAU officially used the term ''minor ...
s (such as
asteroid
An asteroid is a minor planet of the inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic or icy bodies with no atmosphere.
...
s), calculating their
orbit
In celestial mechanics, an orbit is the curved trajectory of an object such as the trajectory of a planet around a star, or of a natural satellite around a planet, or of an artificial satellite around an object or position in space such as a p ...
s and publishing this information via the ''
Minor Planet Circulars''. Under the auspices of the
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union (IAU; french: link=yes, Union astronomique internationale, UAI) is a nongovernmental organisation with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreac ...
(IAU), it operates at the
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, which is part of the
Center for Astrophysics
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
* Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
along with the
Harvard College Observatory
The Harvard College Observatory (HCO) is an institution managing a complex of buildings and multiple instruments used for astronomical research by the Harvard University Department of Astronomy. It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United St ...
.
The MPC runs a number of free online services for observers to assist them in observing minor planets and comets. The complete catalogue of minor planet orbits (sometimes referred to as the "Minor Planet Catalogue") may also be freely downloaded. In addition to
astrometric
Astrometry is a branch of astronomy that involves precise measurements of the positions and movements of stars and other celestial bodies. It provides the kinematics and physical origin of the Solar System and this galaxy, the Milky Way.
Histor ...
data, the MPC collects light curve photometry of minor planets. A key function of the MPC is helping observers coordinate follow up observations of possible
near-Earth object
A near-Earth object (NEO) is any small Solar System body whose orbit brings it into proximity with Earth. By convention, a Solar System body is a NEO if its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) is less than 1.3 astronomical units (AU). ...
s (NEOs) via its NEO web form and blog, the
Near-Earth Object Confirmation Page
The Near-Earth Object Confirmation Page (NEOCP) is a web service listing recently-submitted observations of objects that may be near-Earth objects (NEOs). It is a service of the Minor Planet Center (MPC), which is the official international archiv ...
.
The MPC is also responsible for identifying, and alerting to, new NEOs with a risk of impacting Earth in the few weeks following their discovery ''(see
Potentially hazardous object
A potentially hazardous object (PHO) is a near-Earth object – either an asteroid or a comet – with an orbit that can make close approaches to the Earth and is large enough to cause significant regional damage in the event of impact. They ar ...
s and )''.
History
The Minor Planet Center was set up at the
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati) is a public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1819 as Cincinnati College, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Cincinnati and has an annual enrollment of over 44,00 ...
in 1947, under the direction of
Paul Herget
Paul Herget (January 30, 1908 – August 27, 1981) was an American astronomer and director of the Cincinnati Observatory, who established the Minor Planet Center after World War II.
Career
Herget taught astronomy at the University of Cincinna ...
.
Upon Herget's retirement on June 30, 1978,
the MPC was moved to the SAO, under the direction of
Brian G. Marsden
Brian Geoffrey Marsden (5 August 1937 – 18 November 2010) was a British astronomer and the longtime director of the Minor Planet Center (MPC) at the Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian (director emeritus from 2006 to 2010).
...
.
From 2006 to 2015,
the director of the MPC was
Timothy Spahr
Timothy Bruce Spahr (born 1970) is an American astronomer and prolific discoverer of minor planets.
From 2000–2014 he worked at the Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian Minor Planet Center. From September 2006 to December 2014 he w ...
,
who oversaw a staff of five. From 2015 to 2021, the Minor Planet Center was headed by interim director
Matthew Holman.
Under his leadership, the MPC experienced a significant period of reorganization and growth, doubling both its staff size and the volume of observations processed per year. Upon Holman's resignation on February 9, 2021 (announced on February 19, 2021) Matthew Payne became acting director of the MPC.
Directors
* 1947–1978
Paul Herget
Paul Herget (January 30, 1908 – August 27, 1981) was an American astronomer and director of the Cincinnati Observatory, who established the Minor Planet Center after World War II.
Career
Herget taught astronomy at the University of Cincinna ...
* 1978–2006
Brian Marsden
* 2006–2015
Timothy Spahr
Timothy Bruce Spahr (born 1970) is an American astronomer and prolific discoverer of minor planets.
From 2000–2014 he worked at the Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian Minor Planet Center. From September 2006 to December 2014 he w ...
* 2015–2021
Matthew Holman
* 2021–pres. Matthew Payne
Periodical publications
The MPC periodically releases
astrometric
Astrometry is a branch of astronomy that involves precise measurements of the positions and movements of stars and other celestial bodies. It provides the kinematics and physical origin of the Solar System and this galaxy, the Milky Way.
Histor ...
observations of minor planets, as well as of
comet
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ar ...
s and
natural satellite
A natural satellite is, in the most common usage, an astronomical body that orbits a planet, dwarf planet, or small Solar System body (or sometimes another natural satellite). Natural satellites are often colloquially referred to as ''moons'' ...
s. These publications are the Minor Planet Circulars (MPCs), the Minor Planet Electronic Circulars (MPECs), and the Minor Planet Supplements (MPSs and MPOs).
An extensive archive of publications in a PDF format is available at the Minor Planet Center's website. The archive's oldest publication dates back to 1 November 1977 (MPC 4937–5016).
* ''Minor Planet Circulars'' (''M.P.C.'' or ''MPCs''), established 1947, is a
scientific journal
In academic publishing, a scientific journal is a periodical publication intended to further the progress of science, usually by reporting new research.
Content
Articles in scientific journals are mostly written by active scientists such as s ...
that is generally published by the Minor Planet Center on the date of each
full moon
The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective. This occurs when Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon (when the ecliptic coordinate system, ecliptic longitudes of the Sun and Moon opp ...
, when the number of reported observations are minimal due to the brighter night sky. The ''Circulars'' contain astrometric observations, orbits and ephemerides of minor planets, comets and certain natural satellites. The astrometric observations of comets are published in full, while the minor planet observations are summarised by observatory code (the full observations now being given in the ''Minor Planet Circulars'' Supplement). New numberings and namings of minor planets ''(also see
Naming of Minor Planets
In ancient times, only the Sun and Moon, a few stars, and the most easily visible planets had names. Over the last few hundred years, the number of identified astronomical objects has risen from hundreds to over a billion, and more are discovered ...
)'', as well as numberings of periodic comets and natural satellites, are announced in the ''Circulars''. New orbits for comets and natural satellites appear in the ''Circulars''; new orbits for minor planets appear in the Minor Planets and Comets Orbit Supplement ''(see below)''.
* The ''Minor Planet Electronic Circulars'' (''MPECs'') are published by the Minor Planet Center. They generally contain
positional observations and
orbits
In celestial mechanics, an orbit is the curved trajectory of an object such as the trajectory of a planet around a star, or of a natural satellite around a planet, or of an artificial satellite around an object or position in space such as a p ...
of
unusual minor planet In planetary science, the term unusual minor planet, or ''unusual object'', is used for a minor planet that possesses an unusual physical or orbital characteristic. For the Minor Planet Center (MPC), which operates under the auspices of the Internat ...
s and all
comet
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ar ...
s. Monthly lists of observable unusual objects, observable distant objects, observable comets and the
critical list of numbered minor planets also appear on these circulars. Daily Orbit Update MPECs, issued every day, contain new identifications and orbits of minor planets, obtained over the previous 24 hours.
* The ''Minor Planets and Comets Supplement'' (''MPS'') is published on behalf of
IAU
The International Astronomical Union (IAU; french: link=yes, Union astronomique internationale, UAI) is a nongovernmental organisation with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreach ...
's Division F (Planetary Systems and Bioastronomy)
by the Minor Planet Center.
* The ''Minor Planets and Comets Orbit Supplement'' (''MPO'') is published on behalf of IAU's Division F by the Minor Planet Center.
Natural Satellites Ephemeris Service
The Natural Satellites Ephemeris Service is an online service of the Minor Planet Center. The service provides "ephemerides, orbital elements and residual blocks for the outer irregular satellites of the giant planets
See also
*
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
The Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams (CBAT) is the official international clearing house for information relating to transient astronomical events.
The CBAT collects and distributes information on comets, natural satellites, novae, supern ...
*
IAU Circular
The International Astronomical Union Circulars (IAUCs) are notices that give information about astronomical phenomena. IAUCs are issued by the International Astronomical Union's Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams (CBAT) at irregular interval ...
*
List of astronomical societies
A list of notable groups devoted to promoting astronomy research and education.
Africa
* African Astronomical Society
South Africa
*Astronomical Society of Southern Africa
Asia
China
* Chinese Astronomical Society
India
* Akash Mitra Mandal
*A ...
*
List of minor-planet groups
A minor-planet group is a population of minor planets that 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. It is customary to na ...
*
List of minor planets
The following is a list of numbered minor planets in ascending numerical order. With the exception of comets, minor planets are all small bodies in the Solar System, including asteroids, distant objects and dwarf planets. The catalog consists ...
*
*
Meanings of minor-planet names
This is a list of minor planets which have been officially named by the Working Group Small Body Nomenclature (WGSBN) of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The list consists of partial pages, each covering a number range of 1,000 bodies ci ...
References
External links
*
MPC/MPO/MPS Archive all published circulars since 1977 (downloadable as PDF)
The Minor Planet Center Status Report Matthew J. Holman
Matthew J. Holman (born 1967) is a Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Smithsonian astrophysicist and lecturer at Harvard University. Holman studied at MIT, where he received his bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1989 and his PhD in planetar ...
, ''8 November 2015''
Recent MPECs list of most-recently published ''Minor Planet Electronic Circulars''
Videos
*
*
*
{{Authority control
Astronomy data and publications
Astronomy magazines
Astronomy organizations
Science and technology magazines published in the United States
Magazines established in 1947