Asteroids & Comets
Asteroid
Rocky remnants from the early Solar System
About Asteroid
Asteroids are rocky objects that orbit the Sun, mostly found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. They are leftovers from the formation of the Solar System 4.6 billion years ago.
Scientific Facts
Over 1 million asteroids have been discovered. Ceres is the largest asteroid at 940 km diameter. Most asteroids are irregularly shaped.
Interesting Facts
Some asteroids have their own moons. The Chicxulub impact 66 million years ago caused mass extinction. Asteroids are mining targets for future space missions.
Fun Facts
Asteroids are also called minor planets. The total mass of all asteroids is less than Earth's Moon.
Discovery
First discovered: Ceres by Giuseppe Piazzi in 1801.