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List of asteroids

This is a list of numbered minor planets, nearly all of them asteroids, in sequential order. As of September 2006 there are 136,563 numbered minor planets, and many more not yet numbered.

Most asteroids are ordinary and not particularly noteworthy. For a smaller list of notable 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
 
100001–101000 110001–111000 120001–121000 130001–131000 140001–141000
101001–102000 111001–112000 121001–122000 131001–132000 141001–142000
102001–103000 112001–113000 122001–123000 132001–133000 142001–143000
103001–104000 113001–114000 123001–124000 133001–134000 143001–144000
104001–105000 114001–115000 124001–125000 134001–135000 144001–145000
105001–106000 115001–116000 125001–126000 135001–136000 145001–146000
106001–107000 116001–117000 126001–127000 136001–137000
107001–108000 117001–118000 127001–128000 137001–138000
108001–109000 118001–119000 128001–129000 138001–139000
109001–110000 119001–120000 129001–130000 139001–140000

Numbering and naming conventions

After discovery, asteroids generally receive a provisional designation (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 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.

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 provisional designation).

Only after a number is assigned is the asteroid 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.

See also

External links

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 3-540-00238-3