small Solar System body
Let an agent handle small bodies by class, designation, orbit and hazard status, as the parent of asteroids, comets and similar objects.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent handle small bodies by class, designation, orbit and hazard status, as the parent of asteroids, comets and similar objects.
An object in the Solar System that is neither a planet, a dwarf planet nor a natural satellite, including asteroids, comets, trans-Neptunian objects and meteoroids.
What it is for: Small bodies preserve early Solar System material and include potentially hazardous objects monitored for impact risk.
It can be discover and designate it; track orbits and assess hazards; explore it, with spacecraft; classify it.
Distinguishing features
Not planets, dwarf planets or moons
IAU 2006 category
Includes asteroids, comets and TNOs
Some are monitored as potentially hazardous
What it looks like
Points of light in telescopes; up close, irregular rocky or icy bodies.
How it is recognised
Motion against stars
MPC designations
Near-Earth and potentially hazardous classes
Related models
has kind - kinds
is a kind of - Solar System body
is monitored by - hazard
orbits - the Sun
In practice
Families and kinds
asteroids
comets
trans-Neptunian objects
near-Earth objects
contact binaries and active asteroids
Identifiers
MPC designation number and name or provisional designation minor planets
Standards and regulation
IAU Resolution B5 (2006)
Torino and Palermo scales
Failure modes and hazards
Alarmist impact reporting
Confusing provisional designations
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Classification Which kind.
Class decides properties.
Class
Asteroid, comet, TNO.
Class
Class of body.
- Which class of small body is this? definition
- Is it a possible dwarf planet? boundary
Designation
MPC.
Designation
Designation.
- What is its designation? provenance
- Is it numbered? provenance
Orbit Path.
Orbit decides hazard and access.
Elements
Orbital data.
Orbit
Orbital elements.
- What are its orbital elements and uncertainty? measurement
- Which group does the orbit place it in? definition
Hazard
Impact risk.
Hazard
Hazard status.
- Is it classed as potentially hazardous? provenance
- What is its current risk rating? measurement
Physical Size and composition.
Physical data describe the body.
Size
Diameter.
Size
Size estimate.
- How large is it? measurement
- How was that estimated? provenance
Activity
Active or inert.
Activity
Activity.
- Does it show activity such as a coma? definition
- Is it a contact binary? definition
Exploration Missions.
Missions study small bodies.
Missions
Visits.
Missions
Missions to it.
- Has a mission visited it? provenance
- What was learned? provenance
Communication
Risk messages.
Communication
How to talk about risk.
- How should its risk be communicated calmly? action
- Which official source should be cited? provenance
What the second pass must settle
- How should the registry organise small body classes?
- How should possible dwarf planets be marked?
- How should hazard status be updated?