Data Available from the Minor Planet Center
If using these or any other data files, or a webtool from the MPC, for your research publication, we would appreciate it if you could thank us in the acknowledgements section. This will help us track the use of MPC data and services in publications, which will be of interest to funding agencies. Please use the following snippet:
This research has made use of data and/or services provided by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center.
The tables below contain a partial list of data files provided by the Minor Planet Center.
Orbits
NEO Confirmation Page (NEOCP)
| File | Description | Update frequency | Last Update (UT) | Documentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| neocp.txt | Objects awaiting further observations to confirm as NEOs | When new objects or observations are submitted (Many times a night) |
2025年11月15日 17:15 | Format of NEOCP file |
| neocp.json |
Identifications
The 3 individual ID files that have been available for over two decades are now also offered merged as a single JSON file. Note that the JSON file comes in two flavours: with packed designations or unpacked. Choose wisely.
| File | Description | Update frequency | Last Update (UT) | Documentation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| numids.txt | mpc_ids.json.gz mpc_ids_packed.json.gz |
Provisional designation(s) in packed form for all numbered objects that have one (or more) extra designations | Monthly (After publication of the MPCs) |
2025年10月23日 23:16 | Format of identification files |
| ids.txt | Provisional designation(s) in packed form for multi-opposition objects | ||||
| dbl.txt | Provisional designation(s) in packed form for single-opposition objects | ||||
Daily Identifications
| File | Description | Update frequency | Last Update (UT) | Documentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| newnumids.dat | New numbered identifications with unnumbered minor planets | Daily | 2025年11月15日 12:56 | Format of daily identification files |
| newunnumids.dat | New unnumbered identifications |
Observatory Codes
| File | Description | Update frequency | Last Update (UT) | Documentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ObsCodes.html | Observatory Codes appointed by the MPC | When new ObsCodes are approved (Several times a month) |
2025年11月15日 12:30 | Format of observatory codes file |
| obscodes_extended.json.gz |
Discoveries
| File | Description | Update frequency | Last Update (UT) | Documentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NumberedMPs.txt | Discovery circumstances of the numbered minor planets | Monthly (After publication of the MPCs) |
2025年11月06日 16:50 | Format of discovery circumstances file |
| numberedmps.json.gz |
Close Approaches
| File | Description | Update frequency | Last Update (UT) | Documentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Closest.html | Closest observed approaches of asteroids to Earth | Currently Inactive | 2019年05月16日 12:30 | Format of close approaches file |
| closest_extended.json.gz |
Alterations to Observations (unpublished)
The following files are provisional files that detail the observations that will be altered and published during the next set of MPCs. Note that the files will be updated daily even if the content has not changed.
| File | Description | Update frequency | Last Update (UT) | Documentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| redesigs.dat | Observations that are to be redesignated | Daily | 2025年11月15日 12:56 | Documentation |
| todelete.dat | Observations that are to be deleted | |||
| removed_obs.dat | Observations removed from our public database | Daily | 2025年11月15日 12:56 | Observation Status Codes |