The '''dynamic method''' is a procedure for the determination of the [[mass]]es of [[asteroid]]s. The procedure gets its name from its use of the [[Classical mechanics|Newtonian]] laws of the ''dynamics,'' or motion, of asteroids as they move around the solarSolar systemSystem. The procedure works by taking multiple position measurements to determine the gravitational deflection caused when two or more asteroids move past each other. The method relies on the fact that the large number of known asteroids means they will occasionally move past one another at very close distances. If at least one of the two interacting bodies is large enough, its gravitational influence on the other can reveal its mass. The accuracy of the determined mass is limited by the precision and timing of the appropriate [[astrometry|astrometric]] observations being made to determine the gravitational deflection caused by a given interaction.<ref name=Kochetova-2004>{{Cite journal | title = Determination of Large Asteroid Masses
by the Dynamical Method | last = Kochetova | first = O.M. | journal = Solar System Research | volume = 38 | issue = 1 | year = 2004 | pages = 66–75|bibcode = 2004SoSyR..38...66K |doi = 10.1023/B:SOLS.0000015157.65020.84 }}</ref>
