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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