iteroiden

Iteroiden is a term used in some speculative or informal discussions to refer to a hypothetical class of small Solar System bodies that would follow repeating, iterated orbital patterns around a planet. The word combines iter, from Latin for "again" or "repeated," with the -oid suffix meaning "resembling." In formal astronomy, iteroiden is not an established taxon and there is no standard definition or confirmed evidence for such objects as of 2025.

Conceptually, iteroiden would occupy a resonant regime in which an object's orbit relative to a planet cycles through a predictable sequence of configurations. This would differ from well-known resonant populations such as Trojans, horseshoe orbits, or quasi-satellites, by implying a longer, recurring orbital motif that repeats across multiple orbits. Proposals vary on specifics, but possible features include stable resonance over long timescales, modest eccentricities, and sizes ranging from meters to kilometers. The dynamical mechanisms would involve gravitational perturbations by the planet and possibly other planets, with capture or maintenance requiring particular orbital geometry.

Detection and confirmation would demand long-term astrometric coverage to establish periodicity and stability of the recurrence. To date, no object has been classified as an iteroid in major catalogs.

Iteroiden thus remains a speculative concept rather than an established category, appearing mainly in theoretical discussions or science fiction. If future observations reveal a population with the proposed characteristics, it could shed light on resonant dynamics and small-body evolution in planetary systems.