2014J

2014J is the provisional designation used in astronomy to refer to a small Solar System body observed in 2014. Provisional designations are assigned by the Minor Planet Center (MPC) to newly observed objects and are intended to indicate the year of discovery and the sequence within that year's half-month. A complete provisional designation typically includes two letters and a number; for example, 2014 JX or 2014 J1. The string 2014J by itself is not a standard MPC designation, and if encountered it may reflect shorthand, an abbreviated record, or an as-yet incomplete designation.

Because provisional designations precede confirmation of an object's orbit, many such objects remain poorly characterized until follow-up observations allow orbital solutions. Once an object's orbit is well constrained, it may be assigned a permanent number and, if desired by the discoverers, a name. In some cases, objects designated in 2014 may later be identified as members of asteroid families, or as near-Earth objects, depending on their orbital elements; however, without the specific MPC record, the classification for 2014J cannot be stated here.

See also: Minor Planet Center, Provisional designation, List of minor planets.

References: Minor Planet Center. Observations and designations.