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What are they?Chunks of rock that measure in size from few feet
to several miles in diameter
Rocky remains from the formation of the solar system
Most asteroids lies in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter
Small asteroids called meteoroids
MoreMost asteroids are too
small to cause any damage
Instead they burn up in the atmosphere and appear as shooting stars
Scientists have found more than 90,000 asteroids
CeresThe largest asteroid in asteroid belt
About 950 kilometers wide
In 2006, Ceres was added to the list of dwarf planets
GaspraMade of mixture of rocky and metallic minerals
Surface covered with impact craters
About 200 million years old
VestaThird largest in asteroid belt
Most geological diverse terrain
Ancient lava flows, meteorite impacts, radioactive “shrapnel” shaped its surface
Location Grouping
Four main groups of asteroidsMain Belt: ring of rocky objects circling
between orbits of Mars and Jupiter Kuiper Belt: objects orbit far from the
Sun in the outer solar systemTrojans: objects located near Jupiter's
Lagrange points (60 degrees ahead and behind Jupiter’s orbit)
Near Earth Asteroids: Have orbits that bring them within 1.3 AU of the Sun
CompositionMade of different minerals
and substances
Asteroids nearest to sun mostly made of carbon while the ones further away are made of silicate rock
Composition depends on which planet they originated from
Many asteroids result of larger asteroids hitting planets or each other during beginning of the Solar System
Composition ClassingC class asteroids: Found in Earth's outer belt and
darker and more carbonaceous
D class asteroids: Known as Trojan asteroids of Jupiter and dark and carbonaceous
S class asteroids: Found in the Earth's inner belt, close to Mars and composed of stone and iron
V class asteroids: Far-out group that follow path between orbits of Jupiter and Uranus, and made of eruptive materials
Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zvCUmeoHp
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Works Cited "Asteroids and Comets, Asteroids and Comets Information, Facts,
News, Photos -- National Geographic." Science and Space Facts, Science and Space, Human Body, Health, Earth, Human Disease - National Geographic. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. <http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system/asteroids-comets-article.html>.
"Interesting Facts About Asteroids." Universe Today. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. <http://www.universetoday.com/33406/interesting-facts-about-asteroids/>.
"Asteroid Facts - Explore the Cosmos." The Planetary Society. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. <http://www.planetary.org/explore/topics/asteroids_and_comets/facts.html>.
"Asteroids L Asteroid Facts, Pictures and Information." The Nine Planets Solar System Tour. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. <http://nineplanets.org/asteroids.html>.