Preparation(Info)MPC: Publications
Information is available on the following MPC publications:
Minor Planet Circulars
The
Minor Planet Circulars (MPCs) (also known as
Minor Planets andComets) are published generally on the date of each full moon by the
Minor Planet Center. TheCirculars contain astrometric observations and orbits of bothminor planets and comets. The astrometric observations of comets arepublished in full, while the minor-planet observations are summarised by
observatory code (the full observationsnow being given in the
Minor Planet Circulars Supplement).New numberings and namings of minor planets, as wellas numberings of periodic comets, are announced in the Circulars.
MPCsare also published in mini-batches, where there are no new numberings andthere is no summary of minor-planet observations. Such mini-batches areusually published when there are staff unavailabilities around the timeof publication. The observer, measurer and orbit computer details arereferenced in the
Astrophysical DataSystem.
MPC publication began in 1947. ISSN 0736-6884.
Minor Planet Circulars Supplement
The
Minor Planet Circulars Supplement contain the minor-planetobservations, sorted by designation and date. It is these observations thatare summarized in the
MPCs. There is an
MPS batch associatedwith each full batch of
MPCs. In addition, there are the mid-month
MPS batches, published at roughly weekly intervals, listing all theobservations received in the previous week.
MPS publication began in Oct. 1997. ISSN 1528-137X.
Minor Planet Circulars Orbit Supplement
The
Minor Planet Circulars Orbit Supplement (MPOs) contain full details(including full residual blocks) on the orbits for newly-numbered,newly-linked and newly-identified minor planets. In addition, one-lineorbits for one-opposition and previously-linked multi-opposition orbits areincluded: residual blocks for these orbits are not published but are availablethrough the
MPES.
MPO publication began in May 2000. ISSN 2153-8530.
Minor Planet Electronic Circulars
The
Minor Planet Electronic Circulars (MPECs) carry news on unusualminor planets and some routine material on comets. New discoveriesof unusual minor planets (both near-Earth andtrans-Neptunian objects) are announced via these circulars.Improved orbits appear frequently. Monthly lists of observableunusual objects, observable distant objects, observable comets and thecritical list of numbered minor planets also appear on these circulars.Daily Orbit Update
MPECs, issued every day, contain newidentifications and orbits obtained over the previous 24 hours.
Please note that the final publication of material that appears in theMPECs occurs in theMPCs. Material may appear on theMPECs that is subsequently corrected only in theMPCs: thisbehavior is consistent with the intent that theMPECs are to betreated as a temporary publication and theMPCs as apermanent publication.
MPEC publication began in Sept. 1993. ISSN 1523-6714.
Note on Printed Distribution of MPC Publications
As a result of the 2009 Oct. free availability of MPC publications andservices, the MPC can no longer provide printed copies of its publications.Full access to PDF versions of all MPC publications is available viathe
MPCArchive service,from which printed copies may be derived if desired.
Discontinued Publications and Services
The following services/publications are no longer available:
- Extended Computer Service: the individual parts of the ECS are freely available from the main MPC page.
- Computer Service
- Catalogue of Orbits of Unnumbered Minor Planets.
- Catalogue of High-Precision Orbits of Minor Planets (note minor change fromearlier titleCatalogue of High-Precision Orbits of Unnumbered MinorPlanets).
- The magnetic tape of observations.
The Minor Planet Center no longer distributes the annualEfemeridy Malykh Planet (Ephemerides Of Minor Planets, EMP).Distribution of theEMP volume (and accompanying CD-ROM) is handledby the Institute ofApplied Astronomy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Naberezhnaya Kutuzova 10,St. Petersburg, Russia.