MinorPlanet.info: Observations Planning

The Ephemeris Generator form allows you to find asteroids reaching brightest during a given month for the current year from 2020 through 2035. The search can be filtered on, among other things, limiting magnitude and declination range. Additional filters allow you to restrict the results to those objects with a certain quality rating (U) in the LCDB (if included)

Please note: While the calculations do include major planet perturbations, consider the results to be good, but not definitive guides, epecially for NEAs that have close Earth, Moon, or other planetary approaches. When in doubt or to confirm, use the Horions System on the JPL Small Bodies Node.

Data Provided

Status in the LCDB database.
Dates/Magnitudes at opposition, at brightest (plus declination), and date/distance when closest to Earth anytime within the six years available (see comments under the Ephemeris Generator above.
LCDB Summary information: Period, min/max amplitude, and quality of adopted solution (U).
Ability to generate an ephemeris for the next 40 days for one or more objects in the list.
Ability to view the same results provided under the ALCDEF Search above for one asteroid at a time.

One Asteroid Lookup

Use the One Asteroid Info form when you want all available data for one and only one asteroid.

Data Provided

Up to all of the above (if the object is in at least one table).

Family Ephemerides

The Family Ephemeris form is for those who like to work some of the common asteroid families or groups, such as the Floras, Jupiter Trojans, and NEAs. The input form allows you select from a list of common families, set your longitude and latitude, and default UT, along with a filter for magnitude, declination, and solar elongation.

Data Provided

A summary listing of all objects meeting your search criteria that includes the magnitude at the start and and of the 25-day period staring the day you generate the page.
Individual ephemerides for each object in the list that includes moon phase/elongation and galactic longitude/latitude.
The output is a direct upload text file. Save the file from you browser menu. There is no link to download the file after the fact.

MinorPlanet.info Observations Planning
Home CALL Observing Guides Observation Planning ALCDEF Minor Planet Bulletin Lightcurve Database Minor Planet Center JPL Small Body DB CNEOS Lowell MP Services Minor Planet Mailing List Society for Astronomical Sciences Acknowledgement Development of this web site was made possible by several grants each from NASA and the NSF.		The links on this page take you to different pages for planning your asteroid observations. They vary in the type and amount of information available. Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB) Search This takes you directly to the LCDB Query form where you can search for lightcurve data on one or more asteroids. Data Provided Adopted rotation period and amplitude (range) and quality rating (U) for that solution. Adopted diameter, H-G parameters, albedo, taxonomic class. Details records showing one more sources of lightcurve observations with bibcode links to the ADS. If available, details of: binary, tumbling, spin axis, ambiguous solutions, and color index. ALCDEF Search The ALCDEF site allows you to upload and/or download asteroid time-series photomery. Ephemeris Generator The Ephemeris Generator form allows you to find asteroids reaching brightest during a given month for the current year from 2020 through 2035. The search can be filtered on, among other things, limiting magnitude and declination range. Additional filters allow you to restrict the results to those objects with a certain quality rating (U) in the LCDB (if included) Please note: While the calculations do include major planet perturbations, consider the results to be good, but not definitive guides, epecially for NEAs that have close Earth, Moon, or other planetary approaches. When in doubt or to confirm, use the Horions System on the JPL Small Bodies Node. Data Provided Status in the LCDB database. Dates/Magnitudes at opposition, at brightest (plus declination), and date/distance when closest to Earth anytime within the six years available (see comments under the Ephemeris Generator above. LCDB Summary information: Period, min/max amplitude, and quality of adopted solution (U). Ability to generate an ephemeris for the next 40 days for one or more objects in the list. Ability to view the same results provided under the ALCDEF Search above for one asteroid at a time. One Asteroid Lookup Use the One Asteroid Info form when you want all available data for one and only one asteroid. Data Provided Up to all of the above (if the object is in at least one table). Family Ephemerides The Family Ephemeris form is for those who like to work some of the common asteroid families or groups, such as the Floras, Jupiter Trojans, and NEAs. The input form allows you select from a list of common families, set your longitude and latitude, and default UT, along with a filter for magnitude, declination, and solar elongation. Data Provided A summary listing of all objects meeting your search criteria that includes the magnitude at the start and and of the 25-day period staring the day you generate the page. Individual ephemerides for each object in the list that includes moon phase/elongation and galactic longitude/latitude. The output is a direct upload text file. Save the file from you browser menu. There is no link to download the file after the fact.