Asteroids spin axis distribution

Abstract

Analysing the database of asteroid models from inversion techniques (DAMIT), we found that the spin axis of asteroids do not avoid the ecliptic plane, which had been widely understood since the early days of asteroid physical studies. Previously observed depopulation was probably caused by the EAM methods bias, which is absent if the asteroid shapes are modelled as more complex rather than triaxial ellipsoids. © ESO, 2010.