List of minor planets

This is a list of numbered asteroids, in sequential order. As of September 2004 there were over 90,000 numbered asteroids (and many more not yet numbered).

Many asteroids are fairly ordinary and not particularly noteworthy. For a smaller list of "interesting" asteroids, see List of noteworthy asteroids.

List of asteroids

The list is too long to fit on one page, see these subpages:

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

Numbering and naming conventions

After discovery, asteroids generally receive a systematic name (such as "1989 AC"), then a number (such as 4179), and finally (optionally) a name (such as "Toutatis"), 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 systematic name (see 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 (although 1915 Quetzálcoatl and (3360) 1981 VA have not been seen since 1985 (see [1]), their orbits are known and close Earth approaches are due in 2062 and 2085 respectively).

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 was lost until 2003. Only after it was recovered could its orbit be established and a number assigned. Before this, it was simply known as 1937 UB (its systematic name).

Only after a number is assigned is the asteroid is eligible to receive a name (for many years, Hermes was a rare exception, an unnumbered asteroid with a name). Usually the discoverer has up to 10 years to pick a name; some asteroids remain unnamed. Especially towards the end of the 20th 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 "run of the mill" discoveries from now on will never receive names.

In rare cases, a very unusual object may receive an unofficial name before it is numbered. A recent example is 90377 Sedna, which officially had only the systematic name "2003 VB₁₂" before it was numbered (90377) and, shortly thereafter, named in September, 2004.

Related topics

• List of Aten asteroids
• List of Apollo asteroids
• List of Amor asteroids
• List of Centaurs
• List of scattered-disk objects
• List of asteroids with moons
• Minor Planet Center
• Near-Earth asteroid

• List of asteroids named after important people
• List of asteroids named after places

• Wikipedia Project: Astronomical Objects

External links

• Lists and plots: Minor Planets
• PDS Asteroid Data Archive
• SBN Small Bodies Data Archive
• NASA Near Earth Object Program
• Discover Magazine Feb. 2000: Alan Burdick half-seriously tries to get an asteroid named after himself

Books

Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, 5th ed.: Prepared on Behalf of Commission 20 Under the Auspices of the International Astronomical Union, Lutz D. Schmadel, ISBN 3540002383