asteroidsathome.net

Asteroids@home is a project dedicated to the study of asteroids, particularly those in the main belt and near-Earth asteroids. Asteroids are irregular solid bodies without any atmosphere or coma, ranging in size from hundreds of kilometers to meters. The project uses various observing techniques, including photometry, to measure the brightness variations caused by rotation and derive asteroid rotation periods.

By collecting a sufficient number of light curves from different angles, Asteroids@home is able to use the process of lightcurve inversion to derive the shape model, spin axis direction, and rotation period of an asteroid. So far, over 200 asteroid models have been derived and stored in the Database of Asteroid Models from Inversion Techniques (DAMIT). Asteroids@home provides valuable insights into the physical characteristics and properties of individual asteroids, contributing to a better understanding of these small bodies within our solar system