Astronomy - Asteroids (1)

In science class, you would have learned that celestial bodies smaller than planets, and not comets or meteoroids, are called asteroids. You would also have learned that most asteroids are located in the asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars. However, they are not simply located between Mars and Jupiter; there are certain rules due to the influence of Jupiter's gravity. 1. Compositional Classification Classified spectroscopically by analyzing their spectra into: C-type (carbonaceous chondrite), S-type (silicaceous), and M-type (metallic). 2. Asteroid Families - Groups of asteroids that exhibit orbital resonance (where their orbital periods are in a simple integer ratio). (1) Trojan Asteroids - Share the same orbital period as Jupiter (1:1 orbital resonance). - Located at the Lagrange points (L4, L5), 60 degrees ahead or behind Jupiter in its orbit. - This pattern of asteroids exists from Venus to Neptune's orbit. - Their orbital period matches that of the influenced planet (1:1 orbital resonance). - Named after the Trojan War in Greek mythology due to their perfect balance of forces. - Representative asteroids are named after heroes of the Trojan War.