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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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This image, taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, showcases the fluffy (or flocculent), feathery features of the spiral galaxy NGC 2275. The galaxy is located 67 million light-years away in the constellation of Cancer.

Pictures from space! Our image of the day

By Space.com Staff

This image, taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, showcases the fluffy (or flocculent), feathery features of the spiral galaxy NGC 2275.

An artist's illustration showing NASA's Psyche probe approaching the metallic asteroid 16 Psyche.

NASA mission to weird metal asteroid Psyche remains on track for 2022 launch

By Mike Wall

A NASA mission to one of the most intriguing objects in the solar system just cleared a big hurdle on the path toward its 2022 launch.

This artist's visualization shows an Ankylosaurus magniventris, a large armored dinosaur, witnessing an asteroid impact 66 million years ago.

Asteroid impact, not volcanic activity, killed the dinosaurs, study finds

By Chelsea Gohd

An asteroid impact, not volcanic activity, killed the dinosaurs, a new study finds.

On Asteroid Day, observed June 30, researchers around the world gather to discuss near-Earth objects like asteroids and efforts to avoid or lessen the danger of future impacts.

Celebrate Asteroid Day 2020 with live talks about planetary defense

By Tariq Malik

The Asteroid Foundation is hosting a five-hour series of panels and talks today to examine the state of asteroid research for Asteroid Day 2020.

It's only a matter of time before a big, dangerous asteroid lines up Earth in its crosshairs, experts say.

How the coronavirus pandemic can help us prepare for an asteroid impact

By Leonard David

The emergency preparedness activities now underway to combat the coronavirus pandemic offer insight about our readiness to deal with a dangerous incoming asteroid, experts say.

The Osprey backup sample collection site on asteroid Bennu.

NASA spacecraft swoops down low over asteroid Bennu to eye sampling site

By Chelsea Gohd

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft recently swooped down to take a look at a sample site on asteroid Bennu.

An artist's illustration of a near-Earth asteroid.

Stadium-size asteroid will safely fly by Earth tonight

By Elizabeth Howell

A near-Earth asteroid will whiz safely by our planet, and astronomers may be able to watch the monster rock's flight through telescopes.

Artist's illustration of 'Oumuamua, the first confirmed interstellar object ever spotted in our solar system.

Hydrogen ice? Unheard-of composition could explain 'Oumuamua's weirdness

By Mike Wall

The weirdness of our solar system's first known interstellar visitor stems from a very unusual composition, a new study suggests.

An image of then-asteroid 2019 LD2 taken from a Las Cumbres Observatory telescope at Cerro Tololo in Chile on June 11, 2019.

A first-of-its-kind asteroid thrilled astronomers. But it was just a comet fraud.

By Meghan Bartels

For a week, it was a truly stunning crumb of the solar system — until scientists realized it was just a dirty hunk of ice with an identity crisis.

An artist's depiction of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft approaching the surface of the asteroid Bennu for a sampling attempt.

NASA plan to sample asteroid Bennu delayed by coronavirus pandemic

By Meghan Bartels

After delays from the coronavirus pandemic, NASA has picked a date for its spacecraft to snatch up a chunk of space rock to bring home.

Hayabusa2 casts a shadow on the surface of the asteroid Ryugu during a landing maneuver.

Japanese probe's asteroid Ryugu encounter hints at space rock's dynamic history

By Meghan Bartels

A Japanese spacecraft trekking across the solar system has yet to deliver its precious cargo of space rocks, but its data is already giving scientists a preview of an asteroid's dynamic history.

An artist's depiction of the Lucy spacecraft studying an asteroid.

Scientists identify tiny satellite around an asteroid NASA's Lucy spacecraft will visit

By Meghan Bartels

NASA's Lucy asteroid mission already faced a busy itinerary with seven different space-rock targets. Now, the team has discovered that one of those asteroids has a tiny companion.

A map showing detections of flashes caused by asteroids impacting the moon. The circled impact is the 100th detected by NELIOTA and the first observed by the Sharjah Lunar Impact Observatory, on March 1, 2020.

The hunt for asteroid impacts on the moon heats up with new observatory

By Meghan Bartels

Sometimes a flash in the night is actually an asteroid slamming into the moon.

Asteroid 2020 HS7, as seen by Tautenburg Observatory in Germany on April 28, 2020, shortly after the space rock was first spotted.

Tiny asteroid's super-close Earth flyby shows planetary protection in action, scientists say

By Meghan Bartels

On April 27, something caught the eyes of astronomers poring through data gathered by the Pan-STARRS Observatory in Hawaii: a previously unknown space rock, and one that was very close to Earth.

This NASA graphic shows the path of asteroid 2020 JA, a newfound bus-sized space rock that will fly safely by Earth at a distance of 148,000 miles on May 3, 2020.

A small asteroid the size of a bus will fly safely by Earth today

By Tariq Malik

A newly discovered asteroid about the size of a bus will zip safely by Earth today (May 3), passing at a distance just over halfway to the moon.

This NASA graphic shows the orbit of the newfound asteroid 2020 HS7, which passed safely by Earth on April 28, 2020.

Small asteroid zips safely by Earth just ahead of a larger space rock's flyby

By Tariq Malik

An asteroid about the size of a car gave Earth a close shave Tuesday (April 28), just ahead of a flyby of another big space rock, according to NASA officials.

The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico captured this radar image of the big asteroid 1998 OR2 on April 17, 2020. The asteroid will fly by Earth at a distance of 3.9 million miles (6.3 million kilometers) on April 29.

Radar views show big asteroid 1998 OR2 tumbling in space ahead of Earth flyby (video)

By Mike Wall

You can take the measure of the big space rock that will zoom by Earth early Wednesday morning (April 28), thanks to radar views from the Arecibo Observatory.

On April 28, 2020, Slooh will hold a live webcast of asteroid 1998 OR2's close approach to Earth.

See the big asteroid 1998 OR2 just before its Earth flyby in a Slooh webcast today

By Hanneke Weitering

A big asteroid will safely fly by Earth early tomorrow morning (April 29), and you can watch it approach our planet in real time tonight with a free webcast from the Slooh online observatory.

Anne Virkki, head of Planetary Radar at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, wears her face mask with a doppler radar image of asteroid 1998 OR2.

Mile-long asteroid 1998 OR2 dons 'mask' before Earth flyby (photos)

By Hanneke Weitering

The huge "potentially hazardous" asteroid 1998 OR2, which will safely fly by Earth on April 29, appears to have brought its own face mask for its close encounter with our pandemic-ridden planet.

The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico captured this radar image of the big asteroid 1998 OR2 on April 17, 2020. The asteroid will fly by Earth at a distance of 3.9 million miles (6.3 million kilometers) on April 29.

A big asteroid will fly by Earth Wednesday, but don't panic. It won't hit us.

By Mike Wall

Don't be fooled by any hyped-up headlines you may have read: This week's asteroid flyby poses no threat to Earth or anything on it.