Minor planets

For minor planets out to the orbit of Jupiter, see also the Asteroid article Minor planets, or asteroids or planetoids, are minor celestial bodies of the Solar system orbiting the Sun (mostly Small solar system bodies) that are smaller than major planets, but larger than meteoroids (commonly defined as being 10 meters across or less), and that are not comets. The distinction is made on visual appearance when discovered: comets must show a perceptible coma, and they get listed in their own catalogs. Minor planets in contrast appear star-like ("asteroid", from Greek αστεροειδές, asteroeides = star-like, star-shaped, from ancient Greek Aστήρ, astēr = star); they get a provisional designation by year in the order of discovery, and a designation (a sequential number) and name if their existence is well established and an orbit has been determined. Their physical nature often remains poorly known.
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