The planetary masses and the orbits of the first four minor planets

Numerical tests are the basis of a study about the effects caused in the orbits of the planets (1)–(4) by possible errors in the system of planetary masses. The masses of five major and three minor planets are considered. Especially, the effects caused by (1) Ceres in the orbit of (2) Pallas since the time of discovery are found to be large enough for a determination of the mass of Ceres. A first result for this mass is (6.7±0.4)×10^–10 solar masses.