V.1. Basic concepts

This section of AMPLE provides a means for identification of minor planets. This task can be formulated in other words: to find among numbered minor planets those whose positions at given moment vary from that of observed object no more than prescribed limit. The list of minor planets satisfying the above condition may contain none, one, or several objects. In case prescribed limit (tolerance) is sufficiently small and the list of identifications contains only one planet one can hope that observed position belongs to the identified object.

When using the Ephemerides of Minor Planets the identification of observations made at the beginning or to the end of year presents special problem, as it involves the usage of two successive volumes of the yearbook. Due to special organization of the package, AMPLE permits the identification to be reliable fulfilled THROUGHOUT the TITLE YEAR. For observations made in November-December period of preceding year or in January-February of subsequent one the identification can be successful or not, even though these observations belong to numbered planets. In such cases the result of identification depends on where the nearest opposition of inspected planet is situated, within basic interval lasted from November of preceding year to February of subsequent one or without it. For unusual minor planets with perihelion distance less than 1.4 AU the identification is ensured always.

NOTE: For observations made outside the basic interval the identification is forbidden.