Solar system objects observed by HIPPARCOS

Abstract

While the vast majority of objects contained in the Hipparcos observing program are stars, 48 minor planets and two satellites of the major planets are also observable and included within the observing program. These observations have very particular scientific values, and the inclusion of the objects in the Input Catalogue have posed very specific problems: both in the preparatory astrometric and photometric work needed to prepare for the observations, and in the considerations applied to their selection.