Template:Minor Planet Center

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This template is used on approximately 990 pages and changes may be widely noticed. Test changes in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them.

Shortcut

{{MPCTemplate:MPC}}

Description

This template creates an external link to the Minor Planet Center's (MPC) object page for a specific minor planet, based on its number or provisional designation. The template can also be used for comets. The MPC object page is a summary page of a body's discovery, orbital, and observational data. It is displayed when using the MPC Database Search engine for a single object search.

Usage

Note: not replacing white spaces with a plus sign (+) may result in URL corruption or a link to an erroneous object view.

This template accepts 2 unnamed parameters. The required first parameter is the minor planet's unique identifier. The optional second parameter is replacement wikilink text.

Examples

Numbered minor planets

For numbered minor planets, simply use its number:

{{MPC|75482}} produces MPC, a link to MPC's corresponding page for (75482) 1999 XC173
{{MPC|75482|(75482) 1999 XC173}} produces (75482) 1999 XC173

Unnumbered minor planets

For unnumbered minor planets, use a plus-sign (+) between the numeric and alphanumeric part of the provisional designation:

{{MPC|2010+JL88}} produces MPC, a link to MPC's corresponding page for 2010 JL88
{{MPC|2010+JL88|2010 JL88}} produces 2010 JL88

Comets

For comets, also use a plus sign (+) instead of white spaces:

{{MPC|P/2011+NO1}} produces MPC, an external link to MPC's corresponding page for P/2011 NO1 (Elenin) (i.e. P/2011 NO1)
{{MPC|P/2011+NO1|P/2011 NO1}} produces P/2011 NO1

For numbered comets do not add the name part of the comet's designation:

{{MPC|46P}} produces MPC, an external link to MPC's corresponding page for 46P/Wirtanen
{{MPC|46P|46P/Wirtanen}} produces 46P/Wirtanen