The Midcourse Space Experiment Infrared Minor Planet Survey

Abstract

We present data for main-belt asteroids serendipitously observed by the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) in the course of its long-scan astronomy survey observations. Based upon the orbital elements for 26,791 asteroids, we have identified 325 sightings (920 observations) of 168 different asteroids in the MSX data, 20 of which were observed only once in a single band and are labeled singletons. Of the 168 different asteroids, 30 (including six singletons) were not previously observed by IRAS. Diameters and albedos were derived on the IRAS system. We present the entire MSX Infrared Minor Planet Survey data set, describe how it was created, and compare it with the Supplemental IRAS Minor Planet Survey data set.