Astrophysics (Index)About

SSSB

(SB, small solar system body, small body)
(solar system body smaller than a dwarf planet)

The term SSSB (for small solar system body) is a classification of solar system objects, consisting of those smaller than dwarf planets. This includes all but the largest minor planets (e.g., all but one asteroid) and also all comets. Moons are not included. I'm not sure whether it is meant to include meteoroids. The term was officially coined in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), as a more general term than existing terms (such as "asteroid"), which are often used with the intention of meaning a specific group of such bodies, such as those orbiting within a particular region of the solar system.


(solar system,object type)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Solar_System_body
https://www.iau.org/static/resolutions/Resolution_GA26-5-6.pdf
https://www.iau.org/public/themes/pluto/
https://www.space.com/2743-iau-proposed-planet-definition.html
https://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau0603/

Referenced by pages:
astronomical object
LINEAR
Mars crosser (MC)
minor planet
solar system
solar system object (SSO)
Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)

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