MinorPlanet
Minor planet is a term used by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to refer to small bodies in the solar system that orbit the Sun but are neither planets nor comets. The category encompasses a wide range of objects, including most asteroids, many dwarf planets, centaurs, Trojans, and trans-Neptunian objects. The term is often used interchangeably with small Solar System bodies, though some contexts distinguish “minor planets” from comets.
Most minor planets are rocky or icy; sizes range from tens of meters to thousands of kilometers.
Discovery, designations, and naming: objects are first given provisional designations upon discovery, then receive a permanent
Significance: studying minor planets informs models of solar system formation and evolution, and some objects are