Asteroid: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
imported>George Swan (add reference) |
imported>Meg Taylor No edit summary |
||
| Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
The main [[asteroid belt]] lies between the orbits of [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] and [[Jupiter (planet)|Jupiter]], and comprises tens of thousands of irregularly-shaped bodies, from pebble-sized asteroids to the giant [[Ceres (dwarf planet)|Ceres]], which is also classified as a [[dwarf planet]]. | The main [[asteroid belt]] lies between the orbits of [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] and [[Jupiter (planet)|Jupiter]], and comprises tens of thousands of irregularly-shaped bodies, from pebble-sized asteroids to the giant [[Ceres (dwarf planet)|Ceres]], which is also classified as a [[dwarf planet]]. | ||
The [[Kuiper belt]], beyond the orbit of the [[Planet Neptune]] is also believed to contain tens of thousands of asteroids and | The [[Kuiper belt]], beyond the orbit of the [[Planet Neptune]] is also believed to contain tens of thousands of asteroids and dwarf planets.<ref> | ||
{{cite news | {{cite news | ||
| url = http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/publications/preprints/06preprints/Delsanti_06-009.pdf | | url = http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/publications/preprints/06preprints/Delsanti_06-009.pdf | ||
| Line 22: | Line 22: | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | |||
Revision as of 17:03, 30 November 2013
An asteroid is any one of many rocky, metallic bodies that orbit the Sun but have no atmosphere and are too small to be classed as planets.
The main asteroid belt lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, and comprises tens of thousands of irregularly-shaped bodies, from pebble-sized asteroids to the giant Ceres, which is also classified as a dwarf planet.
The Kuiper belt, beyond the orbit of the Planet Neptune is also believed to contain tens of thousands of asteroids and dwarf planets.[1]
While other primordial material in the early Solar System clumped together to form planets, it is likely that Jupiter's strong gravity prevented the asteroid belt forming into new worlds.
References
- ↑ Audrey Delsanti, David Jewitt. The Solar System Beyond The Planets, Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii.