whose orbital radii are less than 1 AU), that is to say the planets Mercury and Venus, are inferior planets. (Any asteroids that may be found in such orbits are therefore inferior asteroids, and, tech...whose orbital radii are less than 1 AU), that is to say the planets Mercury and Venus, are inferior planets. (Any asteroids that may be found in such orbits are therefore inferior asteroids, and, technically, any spacecraft that are in solar orbits within that of the orbit of Earth could also be called inferior spacecraft, although it is doubtful whether this nomenclature would ever win general acceptance.) Other planets (i.e.
