Minor Planet Center Article Index for
Minor Planet
Website Links For
Minor
 

Information About

Minor Planet Center




along with the Harvard College Observatory (HCO).

Under the auspices of the IAU , it is the official organization in charge of collecting observational data for Minor Planet s ( Asteroid s) and Comet s and calculating their orbits, and publishing this information. It runs a number of free on-line services for observers to assist them in observing minor planets and comets. The
complete catalogue of minor planet orbits (MPCORB) may also be freely
downloaded.

The Minor Planet Center was set up at the University of Cincinnati
in 1947, under the direction of Paul Herget . Upon Herget's
retirement in 1978, the MPC was moved to the SAO, under the
direction of Brian Marsden .


IN POP CULTURE

  • In the movie '' Deep Impact '', the actual scientific group to which the amateur would report the finding of a new asteroid would be the MPC.



EXTERNAL LINKS