Master List of Discoveries - Pt. 1

The most accurate discovery data available!

This list includes 728 objects with discovery data retrieved from the Minor Planet Center (MPC), the primary and most reliable source for this information, and in some cases I’ve used other sources more reliable.  With Wikipedia, Astro-databank and other anecdotal sources, I recommend circumspection and scrutiny of their data.

The list is sorted numerically by ID, and there are 3,589 links to JPL SBDB, MPC, JPL Horizons, Swiss Ephemeris (SE) and Project Pluto sites for real-time access of each object’s discovery circumstances – Date, Time, UT, JD, Observatory, LON-LAT, Discoverer(s), etc.

 The SE links for the six objects 12P/Pons-Brooks, C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE), 2013AZ60, 2012VP113 (“Biden”), 2014UZ224 and A/2017 U1 (‘Oumuamua) are for the Dropbox all_ast ast999 asteroid files that Astrodienst rarely updates, and there are a few that recently have been given MPC numbers, e.g., 2004XR190 and 2012DR30.  For more accurate ephemeris results, always use the gold-standard JPL Horizons for these objects, as well as for all the rest in the list.  The SBDB and Horizons links give the orbital solution date, # of observations used, data-arc span, osculating elements, etc.  The Project Pluto links give the precise Geog. LON and geodetic LAT of the observatory, region, etc. When there are new names assigned to objects, they are designated by the I.A.U. WGSBN, and within days usually they are implemented at JPL.

Note: In appreciation of paid subscriptions, there is free access to these PDFs.
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PDFs (see Products):
Master List of Discoveries - Pt. 1 (3,589 links)
Master List of Discoveries - Pt. 1 (Long. sort)
Master List of Discoveries - Pt. 1 (Decl. sort)
Master List of Discoveries - Pt. 2 (Obs., LON-LAT and Discoverer(s))
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