Hello Jean-François

One other bit of advice to what Bill and Alan have said about missing
asteroids and the MPCOrb file. As Alan said the file is BIG, almost 12Mb
now. If you intend to look at the database in a word processor such as
Word, make sure that you download the MPCORBcr.zip file. The cr means that
each asteroid is finished with a carriage return which makes looking at
them much less of a hassle. Guide will use either file but human
interaction is much easier with each minor planet starting on a new line.

Make sure you download the zip file and unzip it into the Guide directory
as either mpcorb.dat or mpcorbcr.dat depending which one you download.


If you are interested in NEOs and PHAs and the like you can download a much
smaller file from the MPC in a format that is Just right for Guide. Go to
the following URL: http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/Ephemerides/Soft02.html
where you are given a choice of four files to download. The comets and
unusual minor planets files are updated each day and will give you up to
the minute elements. They must be saved in the guide directory as text
files and added to the guide data base using the Extras/Add MPC comets and
asteroids buttons in Guide. If your connection to the internet is slow you
might want to consider this way of updating the asteroid file rather than
loading in the complete MPCORB.dat file each day. If you would like to
look at Just the NEOs for instance you and type [Alt] j and enter the line
"ASTFILTER=b". This will filter out all of the minor planets except those
you have added to the Extras/Add comets and Asteroids file.

Warning! this filter will stay active until you go back and use [Alt] j
and remove the "b" from the line ASTFILTER=b. [Alt] j has several "secret"
uses and should be used with care.

Let me know if you are interested in this filter process and I will try to
help you get set up.

Best Regards,

Bob Elliott
MPC 750 Fall Creek