Periodic comets' names begin with a "P" and "X" denotes a comet whose orbit could not be reliably calculated.Ī few objects have ended up being dual-listed as both asteroid and comet because they were first classified as minor planets (asteroids) but later showed evidence of cometary activity. Official names of non-periodic comets begin with a "C" comets that have been lost or disappeared have names that begin with a "D". When they are discovered by an instrument and not a human, the name of the instrument is used as if it were a person's name. When comets are discovered by several persons simultaneously, they are given an impersonal designation. The discoverer then has a right to name the asteroid. When a new asteroid is discovered, its orbital elements are calculated and then it is numbered. By 2009, about 450,000 asteroids had been discovered and 200,000 of them had been numbered.
The first asteroid, discovered by astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi in Italy, was named Ceres and is numbered 1. The comet discovered by Edmond Halley, who demonstrated that the comets of 1531, 1607, and 1682 were the same body and successfully predicted its return in 1759, is called Halley's Comet (or Comet Halley).Īsteroids are assigned both names and numbers because there are so many of them.
For example, Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi discovered the first asteroid and named it Ceres. Asteroids are named by their discoverers and comets are named for their discoverer.
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