Provisional designation in astronomy
designation of an astronomical body after its discovery and before its official name
A provisional designation in astronomy is the naming convention of astronomical objects as soon as they are found. The provisional designation is usually replaced by a permanent name once a good orbit has been calculated. With asteroids, so many have been found that many will never be named by the people who found them.
Other websites
change- When did the asteroids become minor planets? Archived 2006-05-20 at the Wayback Machine
- New and old-style minor planet designations (Minor Planet Center)
