Lost minor planet

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/lost-minor-planet

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is a lost minor planet?A lost minor planet is a small space rock whose exact path around the Sun is not known well enough to find it again with telescopes.
2. Why do some minor planets become lost?They become lost when we only see them for a short time or have too few pictures, so we can’t calculate a precise orbit. They may also be too far away or hidden by the Sun.

Orbital Elements: A set of six parameters that uniquely define the orbit of a celestial body around another.
Observation Arc: The time interval between the first and last observation of a celestial object used for orbit determination.
Astrometry: The branch of astronomy concerned with the precise measurement of the positions and movements of stars and other celestial bodies.
Non-gravitational Forces: Forces acting on celestial bodies that are not solely due to gravity, such as outgassing from comets or solar radiation pressure.