A Small Solar System body is an object orbiting the Sun that is neither a planet nor a dwarf planet nor a natural satellite, in the classification adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 2006. The category includes most asteroids, most trans-Neptunian objects and comets. The definition is tied to the Solar system; it is not a general classification of every small astronomical object.[ref]
The categories encode physical distinctions. A dwarf planet has enough self-gravity to assume a nearly round equilibrium figure but has not cleared its orbital neighborhood. A Small Solar System body does not satisfy both planetary shape and orbital-clearing conditions. A natural satellite is classified separately even if it is small and irregular.
For example, Ceres lies in the asteroid belt but is a dwarf planet, whereas Vesta is classified as an asteroid. Merely being in the asteroid belt therefore does not determine which formal category an object occupies.[ref]
Ceres: Facts by NASA. Dwarf-planet classification
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