Minor Planet Center

The Minor Planet Center is the international organization that collects, validates, and distributes observations and orbital data for minor planets and comets.

Astrometric observation: A measurement of a celestial object's position on the sky at a specified time. These position measurements are the raw reports the Center collects to determine object orbits.
Minor planet: A natural object orbiting the Sun that is neither a planet nor a comet, including asteroids and trans-Neptunian objects. Minor planets are the principal class of objects named in the Center's title and remit.
International Astronomical Union: An international organization of professional astronomers that coordinates astronomical nomenclature, standards, and cooperation. The Center operates under the Union's authority for minor-planet and comet designations.
Asteroid discovery: The detection and confirmation of an asteroid not previously known to science. Discoverers report observations to the Center so new asteroids can be identified and tracked.
Minor Planet Electronic Circulars: Electronic notices that report discoveries, observations, and orbital information about minor planets and comets. The Center uses these circulars to publish discovery announcements and observing information.
Asteroid: A small rocky or metallic body that orbits the Sun, most commonly found between Mars and Jupiter. Asteroids make up the largest and most frequently observed population in the Center's records.
Cincinnati Observatory: An astronomical observatory in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in the nineteenth century. The Minor Planet Center traces its institutional lineage to the Minor Planet Center established at Cincinnati Observatory.
Asteroid impact monitoring: The assessment of whether a near-Earth asteroid could collide with Earth, based on its orbit and uncertainties. Center data contribute to the observations used by impact-risk monitoring systems.
Asteroid orbit determination: The calculation of an asteroid's orbital path from observations of its position over time. The Center consolidates observations that allow preliminary and improved orbits to be computed.
Comet: An icy Solar System body that can form a coma and tail when heated near the Sun. The Center also collects and distributes observations and orbital data for comets.

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