E-type asteroid

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E-type asteroids are asteroids thought to have enstatite achondrite surfaces. They form a large proportion (over 60%) of asteroids inward of the main belt known as Hungaria asteroids, but rapidly become very rare as the main belt proper is entered. There are, however, some that are quite far from the inner edge of the main belt, such as 64 Angelina. They are thought to have originated from the highly reduced mantle of a differentiated asteroid.

They have a high albedo (0.3 or better), which distinguishes them from the more common M-type asteroids. Their spectrum is featureless flat to reddish. Probably owing to the fact that they originated from the edge of a larger parent body rather than a core, E-types are all small, with only three having diameters above 50 kilometres and no others above 25 kilometres. Aubrites are believed to come from E-type asteroids.

This grouping may be related to the Xe-type of the SMASS classification.

You can use the "What links here" toolbox link to find asteroids of this type.

[edit] See also

• Asteroid spectral types
• L-type asteroid
• S-type asteroid
• X-type asteroid

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