1221 Amor
- Asteroid with elliptical orbit.
- Discovered in 1932.
- It is estimated to be 33 km (20 Miles) across.
- Amor asteroids named after 1221 Amor.
- These asteroids are referred to as "Mars-crossers."
- Many dozen have been discovered.
- Orbits cross orbit of Mars, bringing them closer to the sun.
- Farthest extend of most orbits passes through the Asteroid belt.
- Largest known are:
- Ganymen is 25 to 30 km (16 to 19 miles) in diameter.
- Eros is a splinter-shaped 7 x 19 x 30 km.
- Eros may be a fragment from a large-scale collision.
- Typical Mars-crossers are 5-10 km or 3-6 miles across.
- Smaller ones may also be found.
- Orbital plane of many of these asteroids is far above or below that of Mars.
- Close encounters with Mars may gradually alter Amor orbits over millions of years.
- New directions for their altered orbits may:
- Cause a collision with Mars.
- Become an Earth-crossing orbit.
- Turn to a close approaching orbit to another planet.
- These asteroids are therefore likely to end their days within 10-100 million years.
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