Template:MPCit MPES
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† This template creates a minor planet citation link to the MPES (Minor Planet Ephemeris Service). It takes two arguments:
- The first is the minor planet's number
- The second, optional, is the symbol to use for the link; the default is a dagger (†)
The actual template code was:
[http://scully.cfa.harvard.edu/~cgi/ShowCitation.COM?num={{{1}}} {{{2|†}}}]
But since that ceased to work around July 2006, it now sends to the JPL SSD instead.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
This used to work until July 2006 or so, when the server code was changed to prevent direct access to the citation. This is odd since the documentation concludes with:
- 19: Script Access to the MPES
- Limited available staff make it impractical for the MPC to actively support user-written remote script access to the MPES. However, examination of this document and the HTML source code for the MPES should allow any web/cgi programmer to write scripts or programs that access the MPES directly. Any questions (directed to gwilliams@cfa.harvard.edu) will be answered as time permits. Writers of automated scripts are requested that they ensure that their scripts are working properly and do not put undue strain on our web server. We have the ability to deny access to the MPES by IP address or domain, and we will not hesitate to block wayward automated scripts. Getting the IP address or domain unblocked will require convincing us that the problem will not reoccur!
The procedure is now:
- Go to the Minor Planet & Comet Ephemeris Service
- Select "Return ephemerides" (the default)
- Enter the number (or name) in the box
- Click "Get Ephemerides/HTML page"
- On the new page, click the "Show naming citation" link
