What is Damocloid?
A '''damocloid''' is an [[asteroid]] that takes a long time to [[orbit]] the [[Sun]]. They are very similar to the [[periodic comet]]s, like [[Halley's Comet]], but a damocloid does not have a tail like a [[comet]].<ref name=da>{{cite web |url=http://damocloid-asteroid.co.tv/ |title=Damocloid asteroid |work=damocloid-asteroid.co.tv |year=2011 |access-date=4 July 2011 |archive-date=10 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310165350/http://www.damocloid-asteroid.co.tv/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> They are believed to be comets that have lost their volatile material and are dormant. Scientists think that they come from the [[Oort cloud]]. This is because some damocloids, such as [[C/2001 OG108 (LONEOS)|C/2001 OG<sub>108</sub> (LONEOS)]], later developed tails and became comets. Some damocloids also orbit in the same direction as comets, which is the opposite direction to asteroids.<ref name=da/> By January 2010, scientists had found 41 damocloids.<ref name=da/> ==References== {{reflist}} ==Other websites== *David Jewitt, [http://www2.ess.ucla.edu/~jewitt/papers/DAMO/Jewitt.damo.pdf A first look at the Damocloids] {{Solar System}} [[Category:Asteroids]]