MOST Application Program Interface (API)
The MOST API allows scripting of requests via a command-line call. An example:
- curl -o out.tbl "https://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/MOST/nph-most?catalog=wise_merge&input_type=name_input&obj_name=Victoria&obs_begin=2014+05+01&obs_end=2014+05+30&output_mode=Brief"
Calls when using orbital elements are slightly different for asteroids and comets:
Asteroid
- curl -o out.tbl "https://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/MOST/nph-most?catalog=wise_merge&obs_begin=2010+01+01&obs_end=2010+05+01&obj_type=Asteroid&input_type=manual_input&body_designation=TestAsteroid&epoch=55273.0&semimajor_axis=2.684723515&eccentricity=0.33709263&inclination=11.1080776&arg_perihelion=43.9047086&ascend_node=327.9898280&mean_anomaly=64.7389713&output_mode=Brief"
Comet
- curl -o out.tbl "https://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/MOST/nph-most?catalog=wise_merge&obs_begin=2010+07+01&obs_end=2010+08+01&obj_type=Comet&input_type=manual_input&body_designation=TestComet&epoch=55368.0&perih_dist=1.49452503&eccentricity=0.53379824&inclination=12.87619139&arg_perihelion=153.49099443&ascend_node=113.21175889&perih_time=2455424.64772&output_mode=Brief"
And similarly for MPC input:
Asteroid
- curl -o out.tbl "https://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/MOST/nph-most?catalog=wise_allsky_4band&obj_type=Asteroid&input_type=mpc_input&mpc_data=00324+6.82+0.09+K103I+64.7389713+43.9047086+ 327.9898280+11.1080776+0.33709263+0.2240550+2.684723515+0+MPO344295+2289+63+ 1892-2015+0.50+M-v+38h+MPCLINUX+0000+(324)+Bamberga+20150614&output_mode=Brief"
Comet
- curl -o out.tbl "https://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/MOST/nph-most?catalog=wise_allsky_4band&obj_type=Comet&input_type=mpc_input&mpc_data=PK10N010+2010+08+16.1477+1.494525+0.533798+153.4910+113.2118+12.8762+20100621+17.0+4.0+P/2010+N1+(WISE)+MPC+75712&output_mode=Brief"
Adjustable keywords:
| keyword | required? | description | values |
| catalog | required | Dataset catalog name. NOTE: Dataset needs to be moving-object search enabled. |
Current moving-object enabled datasets: 2MASS: 2mass Spitzer BCD: spitzer_bcd PTF: ptf ZTF: ztf WISE/NEOWISE Merged: wise_merge WISE All-Sky 4-band: wise_allsky_4band WISE 3band: wise_allsky_3band WISE 2band: wise_allsky_2band NEOWISE-R: wise_neowiser NEOWISE-R (By Year): wise_neowiser_yr1, etc. |
| outfmt | optional | Output format |
Regular: Normal HTML Full: Full HTML Brief: ASCII table VOTable: VO Table |
| obs_begin | optional | Earliest observation date (UT) to include | yyyy+mm+dd+hh:mm:ss |
| obs_end | optional | Latest observation date (UT) to include | yyyy+mm+dd+hh:mm:ss |
| ephem_step | optional | ephemeris time step (day) | default=0.25 day |
| input_type | required | Type of input | name_input = by name or number naifid_input = by NAIF ID mpc_input = orbital elements in MPC format manual_input = orbital elements |
| obj_name | required for name input | Name or numeric designation of object | e.g "324" or "Bamberga" (asteroid) or "29P" (comet) |
| obj_naifid | required for NAIF ID input | Name or numeric designation of object | e.g 899 for Neptune |
| obj_type | required for MPC input | Solar-system object type | Asteroid or Comet |
| obj_type_elm | obj_type or obj_type_elm required for orbital elements input | Solar-system object type | Asteroid or Comet |
| mpc_data | required for MPC input | MPC string | See Gator Moving Object help page. |
| semimajor_axis/perih_dist | required for orbital elements input |
Semi-major axis (asteroid) or perihelion distance (comet) in AU |
>0 |
| eccentricity | required for orbital elements input |
Eccentricity of orbit | 0.0-1.0 |
| inclination | required for orbital elements input |
Inclination of orbit (deg) | 0.0-180.0 |
| arg_perihelion | required for orbital elements input |
Argument of perihelion (deg) | 0.0-360.0 |
| ascend_node | required for orbital elements input |
Longitude of ascending node (deg) | 0.0-360.0 |
| mean_anomaly/perih_time | required for orbital elements input |
Mean anomaly (asteroid) in deg, or perihelion time (comet) in yyyy+mm+dd+hh:mm:ss |
0.0-360.0 for mean anomaly |
| body_designation | required for orbital elements input | Designation for returned ephemeris | e.g. Bamberga |
| epoch | required for orbital elements input |
Epoch of coordinates in MJD (Modified Julian Date) |
e.g. 55203.0 for start of WISE mission |