Named by the Minor Planet Names Committee for the Minor Planet Circulars, the series established in 1947 for the publication of astrometric observations, orbital elements and limited ephemerides of minor planets — as well as for the announcement of new names. The abbreviation also honors the Minor Planet Center, which operates through IAU Commission 20 to issue the Circulars. Originally located at the Cincinnati Observatory, the Minor Planet Center moved to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in 1978. Data on comets also now appear in the publication, which has the alternate title Minor Planets and Comets. (M 19342) _ _.