outer-belt asteroid
Quick Summary
Outer-belt asteroids are a group of celestial bodies found beyond the main asteroid belt, with mean distances from the Sun ranging from approximately 3.28 to 5.3 AU. These asteroids have orbital periods that are a significant fraction of Jupiter's orbital period.1
There are four known groups of outer-belt asteroids:
* Cybeles: Located near a 7:4 resonance with Jupiter.2
* Hildas: Found near a 3:2 resonance with Jupiter.2
* Thules: Situated near a 4:3 resonance with Jupiter.2
* Trojans: These asteroids share Jupiter's orbit.12
These groups are distinct from asteroid families, which share a common parent asteroid.1
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