Atira asteroid

The term "Apohele asteroids" was proposed by the discoverers of 1998 DK36,[3] after the Hawaiian word for orbit, from apo [ˈɐpo] 'circle' and hele [ˈhɛlɛ] 'to go'.

[7] The first documented twilight searches for asteroids inside Earth's orbit were performed by astronomer Robert Trumpler over the early 20th century, but he failed to find any.

[8] As of January 2025[update], there are 34 known Atiras, two of which are named, nine of which have received a numbered designation, and seven of which are potentially hazardous objects.

The dynamics of many Atira asteroids resemble the one induced by the Kozai-Lidov mechanism,[b] which contributes to enhanced long-term orbital stability, since there is no libration of the perihelion.

[15] The study proposed that the mission would be powered by spacecraft electric propulsion and would follow a path designed to flyby as many Atira asteroids as possible.

[19] First formally theorised to exist by William F. Bottke and Gianluca Masi in 2002 and 2003,[20][21] the first and to date only such asteroid found is 594913 ꞌAylóꞌchaxnim,[22][23] which was discovered on 4 January 2020 by the Zwicky Transient Facility.