Aten asteroid
Let an agent describe Aten asteroids by designation, orbit, size and official risk assessment, separating them from Apollo, Amor and Atira groups and avoiding sensationalism.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent describe Aten asteroids by designation, orbit, size and official risk assessment, separating them from Apollo, Amor and Atira groups and avoiding sensationalism.
A group of near-Earth asteroids with semi-major axes less than 1 au and aphelion distances greater than about 0.983 au, so their orbits cross Earth orbit from the inside; named after 2062 Aten.
What it is for: Planetary defence and solar system science.
It can be look up orbits and close approaches; check official impact risk assessments; compare with other near-Earth asteroid groups; follow discovery surveys.
Distinguishing features
Earth-crossing from inside
Smaller group than Apollos
Hard to observe near the Sun
Some are potentially hazardous
What it looks like
Faint moving points in telescopes, often observed near the Sun in twilight.
Physical character
semi-major axis: less than 1 au - definition
aphelion: greater than about 0.983 au - definition
How it is recognised
Semi-major axis under 1 au
Aphelion beyond Earth perihelion
Atira asteroids stay entirely inside Earth orbit
Related models
is a kind of - category
is contrasted with - other group
is contrasted with - inner group
is catalogued by - authority
In practice
Families and kinds
potentially hazardous Atens
small Atens
binary Atens
Identifiers
MPC designation numbered or provisional asteroids
Standards and regulation
Torino and Palermo impact hazard scales
International Asteroid Warning Network
Failure modes and hazards
Sensationalising close approaches
Using outdated orbit solutions
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Identity Which asteroid.
Designations identify.
Designation
Name.
Designation
Designation.
- What is its designation and discovery date? provenance
- Which survey found it? provenance
Orbit
Elements.
Orbit
Orbit.
- What are its orbital elements, from which ephemeris? provenance
- Does it meet the Aten definition? boundary
Risk Official assessment.
Risk needs official sources.
Assessment
Impact risk.
Assessment
Impact risk.
- What do official impact monitoring systems say about it? provenance
- What is its Torino scale rating? measurement
Approach
Close approaches.
Approach
Close approach.
- When is its next close approach and how far? measurement
- Is it being presented accurately? boundary
Physical Properties.
Properties are uncertain.
Size
Estimate.
Size
Size.
- What is its estimated size and uncertainty? measurement
- Which method gave it? provenance
Type
Spectral type.
Type
Spectral type.
- What spectral type is suggested? provenance
- Has radar studied it? provenance
Observing Surveys.
Atens are hard to see.
Difficulty
Near the Sun.
Difficulty
Observation difficulty.
- Why are Atens hard to detect from the ground? definition
- Which space telescopes help? provenance
Surveys
Programmes.
Surveys
Surveys.
- Which surveys track near-Earth asteroids? provenance
- How complete is the census? measurement
What the second pass must settle
- Should potentially hazardous asteroids be linked as a shared entry?
- How should orbit data be linked?
- How should Atira objects be split off?