Observation of the asteroid light curve indicates it is rotating with a period of 9.93 ± 0.01 hours. During this interval, the magnitude varies by an amplitude of 0.12 ± 0.02.[8] By combining the results of multiple light curves, the approximate ellipsoidal shape of the object can be estimated. It appears to be slightly elongated, being about 28.2% longer along one axis compared to the other two.[9] Atalante was observed by Areciboradar in October 2010.[10][11]
This asteroid shares a mean-motion resonance with the planets Jupiter and Saturn. The computed Lyapunov time for this asteroid is only 4,000 years, indicating that it occupies a highly chaotic orbit that will change randomly over time because of gravitational perturbations of the planets. This is the shortest Lyapunov time of the first 100 named asteroids.[12]
^The /ætəˈlæntiː/ pronunciation is for the Greek form Ἀταλάντη; however, the name Atalante here is actually the German form of the Latin Atalanta, with the German final -e being a schwa much like an English final -a – and indeed, 'Atalanta' is given as the English form in Craig (1869).[3]
^Brinsfield, James W. (September 2007), "The Rotation Periods of 36 Atalante and 416 Vaticana", The Minor Planet Bulletin, 34 (3): 58–59, Bibcode:2007MPBu...34...58B
^Blanco, C.; Riccioli, D. (September 1998), "Pole coordinates and shape of 30 asteroids", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement, 131 (3): 385–394, Bibcode:1998A&AS..131..385B, doi:10.1051/aas:1998277
^Šidlichovský, M. (1999), Svoren, J.; Pittich, E. M.; Rickman, H. (eds.), "Resonances and chaos in the asteroid belt", Evolution and source regions of asteroids and comets : proceedings of the 173rd colloquium of the International Astronomical Union, held in Tatranska Lomnica, Slovak Republic, August 24–28, 1998, pp. 297–308, Bibcode:1999esra.conf..297S.
