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Asteroids

Asteroids are space rocks thought to be the remains left over from the formation of the solar system. They range in size from tiny (the size of a car or so) to truly giant, with at least one - Ceres - gaining dwarf planet status. In our solar system, billions of asteroids are in the asteroid belt, a region around the sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Others stray from this region, and can potentially post an impact threat to the Earth. At least one interstellar asteroid, called 'Oumuamua, has passed through our solar system. Learn more about asteroids here.

Related Topics: Comets, Meteors, Shooting Stars and Fireballs, Rosetta Spacecraft 

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In this new image from the Hubble Space Telescope, what looks like a top-down view of a jellyfish glowing in deep space is actually the planetary nebula NGC 2022. The cosmic orb of ionized gas was expelled from a dying red giant star located at its center. As the star sheds material into space, its core shrinks and grows hotter while emitting ultraviolet radiation that illuminates its gassy shell.

Pictures from Space! Our Image of the Day

By Hanneke Weitering

In this new image from the Hubble Space Telescope, what looks like a top-down view of a jellyfish glowing in deep space is actually the planetary nebula NGC 2022.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission will grab a sample at one of these four collection sites, which have been nicknamed (clockwise from top left) Nightingale, Kingfisher, Sandpiper and Osprey.

A NASA Spacecraft Will Snatch Samples of Asteroid Bennu in 2020. Here's 4 Places It May Land

By Meghan Bartels

When NASA makes its move to grab a piece of space rock, will its spacecraft snatch at a sample of a dark, sandy Nightingale or of a very wet Kingfisher?

An image of Jupiter appears to capture the flash of an asteroid striking the gas giant on Aug. 7, 2019.

Something Just Smacked Jupiter and Here's the Photo to Prove It

By Meghan Bartels

Ouch, that looks painful!

On Aug. 10, 2019, Asteroid 2006 QQ23 will fly close by our planet, but it's not a threat to us on Earth.

An Asteroid Bigger Than the Empire State Building Will Pass Earth Soon. But Don't Worry

By Chelsea Gohd

On Aug. 10, an asteroid about the size of the Empire State Building will pass close by Earth, but it will not hit us.

An artist's concept of an asteroid approaching Earth.

How Astronomers Missed the Massive Asteroid That Just Whizzed Past Earth

By Yasemin Saplakoglu

A large asteroid just whizzed past our planet — and astronomers weren't expecting it.

An image taken by Hayabusa2's Cam-H camera 4 seconds after touchdown on July 11, 2019.

Watch Japan's Hayabusa2 Land on Asteroid Ryugu in This Exciting Video

By Chelsea Gohd

In a new video from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Hayabusa2 is seen touching down on, and collecting samples from, asteroid Ryugu.

A large asteroid flew by Earth today.

A Jumbo-Jet-Size Asteroid Just Zipped Safely by Earth

By Passant Rabie

This massive asteroid was 222,160 miles (357,500 kilometers) from Earth.

The Western University All-Sky Camera Network in London, Canada, captured this image of a fireball over southern Ontario and Quebec on July 24, 2019, at 4:44 a.m. EDT (0844 GMT).

Fireball! Incredible Video Shows Meteor Streaking Across Canadian Sky

By Elizabeth Howell

A fireball as bright as the full moon streaked across the Canadian province of Ontario early Wednesday (July 24), possibly throwing meteorites to Earth along the way.

The area in the sky where astronomers would have spotted the asteroid 2006 QV89 if it was on a collision course with Earth, with the three crosses marking the specific locations.

No, an Asteroid Won't Hit Earth on Sept. 9 and Here's Why

By Passant Rabie

Astronomers can't spot this asteroid within the estimated collision course, so fingers crossed!

A camera located next to the sampling horn on Hayabusa2 captured this image 4 seconds after the spacecraft touched down on July 10, 2019.

Touchdown! Incredible Photos Show 2nd Asteroid Landing by Japan's Hayabusa2

By Meghan Bartels

The Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa2 made a second touchdown on an asteroid called Ryugu last night (July 10) in a carefully choreographed maneuver — and the photos are incredible.

The asteroid Ryugu, as seen by Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft during its sample-grabbing descent on July 10, 2019.

Boop! Japanese Spacecraft Grabs Second Sample from Asteroid Ryugu

By Meghan Bartels

It looks like Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft has snagged its second souvenir from asteroid Ryugu, marking one of the last major milestones of the probe's visit.

An image of asteroid Ryugu captured by the Hayabusa2 during its second sampling attempt, on July 10, 2019.

Japan's Hayabusa2 Probe Will Sample Asteroid Ryugu Tonight! Here's How to Watch

By Meghan Bartels

A Japanese spacecraft is aiming to grab the first pristine sample of an asteroid to bring back to Earth tonight (July 10), and you can watch it approach the target now.

NEOCam was a finalist in the previous competition for Discovery-class planetary science missions. It was not selected, but received funding to continue development of its infrared detector technology.

Report Makes Case for Space-based Asteroid Tracking Telescope

By Jeff Foust

A report last month has buoyed the efforts of scientists seeking a dedicated mission to search for near Earth objects, although NASA has yet to commit to funding that mission.

The orbit of newly discovered asteroid 2019 LF6 (white) is seen here. The animation shows that the asteroid's path falls entirely within Earth's orbit (blue).

Newly Spotted Asteroid with Supershort Year Swings Closer to the Sun Than Mercury

By Doris Elin Salazar

By watching the skies at the brink of sunrise and shortly after nightfall, astronomers spotted a hunk of rock with the shortest-known asteroid "year" to date.

A still shot from a European Space Agency video showcasing the orbits of four asteroids (pink) discovered by the agency's Gaia spacecraft between December 2018 and February 2019.

Four Asteroids Travel Along Tilted Orbits in Trance-Like ESA Video

By Doris Elin Salazar

As a spacecraft ambitiously maps over a billion stars, it is also discovering new asteroids whose orbits are mesmerizing, as seen in a new video.

An artist's interpretation of the strange cigar shape of 'Oumuamua.

No Aliens Needed: Odd Properties of the 1st Known Interstellar Visitor Can Be Natural

By Nola Taylor Redd

'Oumuamua, the first known interstellar visitor, doesn't need an extraterrestrial solution to explain its oddities, according to a new study.

This view of Ceres from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows what the dwarf planet would look like to the human eye.

Dwarf Planet Ceres May Be Wrinkling As It Shrinks

By Charles Q. Choi

Ceres, the closest dwarf planet to Earth, may be wrinkling as it shrinks.

An artist's depiction of an asteroid.

Celebrate the Promise of Planetary Defense This Asteroid Day

By Elizabeth Howell

The quest to protect Earth from threatening asteroids is about to get a boost, as "an absolute flood of new observations" comes from a new telescope designed to scan the sky.

Asteroid Day is June 30.

Asteroid Day 2019 Is Coming Soon — Here's How to Celebrate

By Elizabeth Howell

No matter where you are in the world, it's more than likely you can participate in Asteroid Day — an international event meant to raise awareness of these small, rocky bodies.

An artist's depiction of an asteroid near Earth.

Astronomers Spotted a Car-Size Asteroid Just Hours Before Impact

By Laura Geggel

Astronomers discovered a car-size asteroid hours before it slammed into Earth and burned up in the atmosphere this past weekend, news sources report.