The following is a list of noteworthy asteroids in our Solar system. For a more complete list of asteroids in sequential numerical order, see List of asteroids.
Note: each asteroid is given a unique sequential identifying number after its orbit is precisely determined. Prior to this, asteroids are known only by their systematic name or provisional designation, such as "1950 DA".
Asteroids with orbital inclinations greater than 90° orbit in a retrograde direction.
There are only eight (as of August 2004) retrograde asteroids known, only two of which are numbered. This makes them the rarest group of all. High-inclination asteroids are either Mars-crossers (probably in the process of being ejected from the solar system) or damocloids.
Discovered in 1996 as a comet, but orbitally matched to asteroid 1979 OW7
Note there are a quite a few other cases where a non-numbered asteroid with only a systematic designation (such as 2001 OG108) turned out to be a comet. The above table lists only numbered asteroids that are also comets.
Asteroids that were misnamed and renamed
In earlier times, before the modern numbering and naming rules were in effect, asteroids were sometimes given numbers and names before their orbits were precisely known. And in a few cases duplicate names were given to the same object (with modern use of computers to calculate and compare orbits with old recorded positions, this type of error no longer occurs). This led to a few cases where asteroids had to be renamed. [1]
An object discovered March 181892 by Max Wolf with provisional designation "1892 X" was named 330 Adalberta, but was lost and never recovered. In 1982 it was determined that the observations leading to the designation of 1892 X were stars, and the object never existed. The name and number 330 Adalberta was then reused for another asteroid discovered by Max Wolf on February 21910, which had the provisional designation A910 CB.
525 Adelaide
The object A904 EB discovered March 141904 by Max Wolf was named 525 Adelaide and was subsequently lost. Later, the object 1930 TA discovered October 31930 by Sylvain Arend was named 1171 Rusthawelia . In those pre-computer days, it was not realized until 1958 that these were one and the same object. The name Rusthawelia was kept (and discovery credited to Arend); the name 525 Adelaide was reused for the object 1908 EKa discovered October 211908 by Joel Hastings Metcalf.
715 Transvaalia and 933 Susi
The object 1911 LX discovered April 221911 by H. E. Wood was named 715 Transvaalia . On April 231920, the object 1920 GZ was discovered and named 933 Susi . In 1928 it was realized that these were one and the same object. The name Transvaalia was kept, and the name and number 933 Susi was reused for the object 1927 CH discovered February 101927 by Karl Reinmuth.
864 Aase and 1078 Mentha
The object A917 CB discovered February 131917 by Max Wolf was named 864 Aase , and the object 1926 XB discovered December 71926 by Karl Reinmuth was named 1078 Mentha . In 1958 it was discovered that these were one and the same object. In 1974, this was resolved by keeping the name 1078 Mentha and reusing the name and number 864 Aase for the object 1921 KE , discovered September 301921 by Karl Reinmuth.
1095 Tulipa and 1449 Virtanen
The object 1928 DC discovered February 241928 by Karl Reinmuth was named 1095 Tulipa , and the object 1938 DO discovered February 201938 by Yrjö Väisälä was named 1449 Virtanen . In 1966 it was discovered that these were one and the same object. The name 1449 Virtanen was kept and the name and number 1095 Tulipa was reused for the object 1926 GS discovered April 141926 by Karl Reinmuth.
1125 China and 3789 Zhongguo
The object 1928 UF discovered October 251928 by Zhang Yuzhe (Y. C. Chang) was named 1125 China , and was later lost. Later, the object 1957 UN1 was discovered on October 301957 at Purple Mountain Observatory and was initially incorrectly believed to be the rediscovery of the object 1928 UF. The name and number 1125 China were then reused for the object 1957 UN1, and 1928 UF remained lost. In 1986, the object 1986 QK1 was discovered and proved to be the real rediscovery of 1928 UF. This object was given the new number and name 3789 Zhongguo . Note Zhongguo is the Mandarin Chinese word for "China", in pinyin transliteration.
Asteroid 1317
The object 1914 UQ discovered April 201914 by G. N. Neujmin was named 787 Moskva (and retains that name to this day). The object 1934 FD discovered on March 191934 by C. Jackson was given the sequence number 1317. In 1938, G. N. Neujmin found that asteroid 1317 and 787 Moskva were one and the same object. The sequence number 1317 was later reused for the object 1935 RC discovered on September 11935 by Karl Reinmuth; that object is now known as 1317 Silvretta .
Record-setting close approaches by asteroids to Earth
Only asteroids that break a previous record are included. Note that near-earth object detection technology drastically improved around the turn of the century, so objects being detected today (in 2004) would have been missed only a decade earlier.
Rotation periods have been determined for only a small fraction of asteroids (from light curves or from radar studies). Most asteroids have rotation periods of less than 24 hours; however, 288 Glauke has a rotation period of about 50 days.
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 3540002383
