Minor Planet Databases

Abstract

Abstract. We cast a retrospective look at the mankind's acquaintance with minor bodies of the Solar System, at the explosive growth in their discoveries resulting from the technological progress, and at gradual understanding of the danger to our very existence that some of them might actually pose. Then, we review current effort, of the astronomical community in general and of its Russian part in particular, to integrate our rapidly expanding knowledge of the potential Earth impactors and to make it readily available online.

Russian Virtual Observatory: Data Sources

“…In particular, the following services in Russia can be mentioned: Ephemeris computer program for studies of the Solar System's objects (EPOS, Pulkovo observatory, L'vov & Tsekmeister 2012); Multi-purpose software package for asteroids and comets (AMPLE 3, Institute of Applied Astronomy, Novikov et al 2010); IDA software for study of dynamics of asteroids (Tomsk State University, Bykova et al 2012), and others. The Russian contribution to the collection, analysis, and dissemination of astronomical data on minor bodies of the Solar System is described in detail in Rykhlova & Bakanas (2015).…”