164950

164950 is a numeric designation used by the Minor Planet Center (MPC) to identify a specific minor planet (asteroid). The number indicates that the object's orbit has been sufficiently well determined to be cataloged, making it the 164,950th minor planet to receive a permanent number. Before a permanent number is assigned, newly discovered objects receive provisional designations based on the date of discovery, which encode year, half-month, and sequence of discovery. After orbit confirmation, the object may be given a formal name by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), though many remain unnamed.

Details about 164950's orbit and physical properties are recorded in MPC databases. In general, numbered minor planets can belong to various populations, including the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, as well as near-Earth and outer-solar-system populations. The exact dynamical class of 164950 would be indicated by its orbital elements, which determine its path around the Sun, its orbital period, and its inclination.

The use of numeric designations provides a stable, unambiguous reference across scientific literature and catalogs. 164950 exemplifies the large and growing catalog of small bodies that inform studies of solar system formation and evolution, as researchers track their orbits, compositions, and histories to understand planetary development.