Commission 20: Positions and Motions of Minor Planets, Comets and Satellites

Abstract

In the past triennium, the output of the Commission continued its explosive growth within a rather broad range of activities. In comparison with the previous triennium (which also saw impressive growth), the current period witnessed a 26% increase in the number of numbered minor planets (7041 minor planets), a 46% increase in the number of minor planet orbits computed (14 154) and a 187% increase in the number of optical Minor Planet observations (260 616). In addition, there were 65 radar Doppler and time delay measurements made during the triennium bringing the total to 269 observations of 40 minor planets and 5 comets.