s ▁method , ▁invent ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century . ▁ ▁See ▁Lam bert ' s ▁problem ▁for ▁details . ▁ ▁Even ▁if ▁no ▁distance ▁information ▁is ▁available , ▁an ▁orbit ▁can ▁still ▁be ▁determined ▁if ▁three ▁or ▁more ▁observations ▁of ▁the ▁body ' s ▁right ▁asc ension ▁and ▁decl ination ▁have ▁been ▁made . ▁ ▁G auss ' s ▁method , ▁made ▁famous ▁in ▁his ▁ 1 8 0 1 ▁" rec overy " ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁lost ▁minor ▁planet , ▁Cer es , ▁has ▁been ▁subsequently ▁pol ished . ▁▁ ▁One ▁use ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁determ ination ▁of ▁astero id ▁masses ▁via ▁the ▁dynamic ▁method . ▁ ▁In ▁this ▁procedure ▁G auss ' s ▁method ▁is ▁used ▁twice , ▁both ▁before ▁and ▁after ▁a ▁close ▁interaction ▁between ▁two ▁astero ids . ▁ ▁After ▁both ▁or bits ▁have ▁been ▁determined ▁the ▁mass ▁of ▁one ▁or ▁both ▁of ▁the ▁astero ids ▁can ▁be ▁worked ▁out . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁ ▁Curt is , ▁H .; ▁Or b ital ▁Mechan ics ▁for ▁Engineering ▁Stud ents , ▁Chapter ▁ 5 ; ▁Else vier ▁( 2 0 0 5 ) ▁. ▁ ▁T aff , ▁L .; ▁Cel est ial ▁Mechan ics , ▁Chap ters ▁ 7 , ▁ 8 ; ▁W iley - In ters cience ▁( 1 9 8 5 ) ▁. ▁ ▁B ate , ▁Mu eller , ▁White ; ▁Fund ament als ▁of ▁Ast rod ynam ics , ▁Chap ters ▁ 2 , ▁ 5 ; ▁D