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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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The Egg Nebula, seen here in a view from the Hubble Space Telescope, is a "preplanetary nebula," or a cloud of dust and gas ejected from a dying star and illuminated by the star's last bit of light.

Image of the Day

By Hanneke Weitering

The asteroid 2016 HO3 has an orbit around the sun that keeps it as a constant companion of Earth.

China to Launch Ambitious Asteroid-Comet Mission in 2022

By Mike Wall

China aims to launch a bold sample-return mission just three years from now, according to the nation's state-run Xinhua news agency.

An artist's depiction of a potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroid.

A House-Size Asteroid Zipped by Earth Today

By Hanneke Weitering

An asteroid the size of a house gave Earth a close shave today (April 18), passing nearer to our planet than any other space rock will for the rest of this year — that is, as far as we know.

A still from a clip explaining the technology of a solar sail that would propel the Near-Earth Asteroid Scout mission to its target.

'Speed' Docuseries Shows What Light-Powered Cubesat Might Look Like in Space (Video)

By Doris Elin Salazar

One future journey through the solar system might be possible, thanks to a sail powered by the sun.

An artist's illustration of an asteroid headed for Earth.

Stopping an Earth-Bound Asteroid in its Tracks (Op-Ed)

By Cathy Plesko, Ph.D.

Fortunately, we're getting to the point where we can see potentially hazardous objects coming — and maybe even do something about it.

NEOWISE's view of a comet called C/2018 Y1 Iwamoto, captured on Feb. 25, 2019.

Asteroid Hunting Mission Releases 5th Year of Data

By Meghan Bartels

If the idea of an asteroid slamming into Earth keeps you up at night, spare a thought for a mission called NEOWISE, which reincarnated a former astrophysics spacecraft to hunt for nearby space rocks.

Artist's impression of NASA's DART spacecraft slamming into an asteroid.

NASA Chooses SpaceX to Launch Asteroid-Walloping Mission

By Mike Wall

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test spacecraft in June 2021, agency officials announced Thursday (April 11).

An artist's depiction of the metallic asteroid Psyche during its hypothesized volcanic phase.

Iron Volcanoes on Some Asteroids May Have Ejected Molten Metal

By Meghan Bartels

The solar system is full of volcanoes — but scientists may have just identified an entirely new type of volcanic activity.

The European Space Agency's Hera will use automated navigation technology to explore the asteroid Didymos and its moon.

A 'Self-Driving' Spacecraft May Help Save Earth from Asteroid Collisions

By Hanneke Weitering

Europe's next asteroid mission, which could launch in 2023, will rely on the same kind of navigation technology as self-driving cars.

This image captured by Hayabusa2's DCAM3 camera, which deployed from the spacecraft, shows ejection from the asteroid Ryugu's surface was caused by the collision of an impactor. Photo taken at 10:36 p.m. EDT on April 4, 2019 (0236 GMT on April 5).

Pow! Japan's Hayabusa2 Bombs Asteroid Ryugu to Make a Crater (Photo)

By Mike Wall

Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft slammed a copper cannonball into the asteroid Ryugu last night (April 4), in an effort to blast out a crater.

The Small Carry-On Impactor separated from Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft April 4, 2019 (April 5 JST) in order to slam down into asteroid Ryugu. This image was captured by Hayabusa2's optical navigation camera from about 500 meters above Ryugu.

Japan's Hayabusa2 Shoots Copper Bomb at Asteroid Ryugu to Create Artificial Crater

By Meghan Bartels

Japan's Hayabusa2 probe deployed a heavy copper plate toward the asteroid Ryugu last night (April 4), in an effort to create an artificial crater.

A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying the Progress 72 (72P) cargo ship stands ready to launch 3 tons of supplies from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan to the International Space Station on April 4, 2019.

There Are 2 Rocket Launches, a Moon Arrival and Asteroid Crash Today! Here's How to Watch

By Tariq Malik

There are two rocket launches, a spacecraft docking, a lunar orbit arrival and an asteroid crash scheduled on Thursday (April 4). Here's how to watch live.

An image of the Hayabusa2 spacecraft silhouetted against Ryugu's surface, captured by the probe during its sampling procedure in February.

Watch Live from Mission Control As Hayabusa2 Makes a Crater on an Asteroid

By Meghan Bartels

Most rocky bodies in the solar system bear the scars of past impacts, but only rarely can scientists watch those impacts occur in real time — and they're about to get just such a chance.

This Hubble Space Telescope image reveals the gradual self-destruction of the asteroid (6478) Gault, whose ejected dusty material has formed two long, thin, comet-like tails. The longer tail stretches more than 500,000 miles (800,000 kilometers) and is roughly 3,000 miles (4,800 km) wide. The shorter tail is about a quarter as long. The streamers will eventually disperse into space.

Rare Disintegrating Asteroid Spied by Hubble Telescope (Photo)

By Mike Wall

Two long, narrow tails of material are streaming from a 2.5-mile-wide (4 kilometers) rock in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, a new study reports.

The label of this Touchdown beer celebrates Hayabusa2's sample collection.

Toast Japan's Hayabusa2 Mission with These Ryugu-Themed Drinks

By Nola Taylor Redd

The asteroid Ryugu may be surprisingly dry, but that doesn't mean you have to be.

NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of the fireball that exploded over the Bering Sea on Dec. 18, 2018.

Powerful Bering Sea Fireball Spotted from Space in NASA Photos

By Mike Wall

NASA's Terra satellite captured striking views of the meteor that exploded over the Bering Sea on Dec. 18, 2018.

An image of the asteroid Pallas captured by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope.

NASA May Send a Smallsat Mission to the Giant Asteroid Pallas

By Meghan Bartels

NASA is considering funding a mission that would send a satellite the size of a mini-fridge to the asteroid belt to examine an unexplored world: a massive asteroid scientists call Pallas.

An artist's depiction of an asteroid.

Here's the Right Way to Nuke an Asteroid (Sorry, Bruce Willis)

By Meghan Bartels

If you want to use a nuclear weapon to save the world from an asteroid, don't try to do it the way Bruce Willis did, NASA's planetary defense office would like to remind you.

This view of the asteroid Bennu ejecting particles from its surface on Jan. 19, 2019, was created by combining two images taken by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft: a short-exposure photo, which shows the asteroid clearly, and a long-exposure version, which shows the particles clearly. Other image-processing techniques were also applied, such as cropping and adjusting the brightness and contrast of each layer.

Surprise! 'Active Asteroid' Bennu Is a Rare Particle-Ejecting Space Rock

By Mike Wall

The near-Earth asteroid Bennu is one of just a dozen or so known 'active asteroids,' newly announced observations from NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft reveal.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft captured this image of the asteroid Bennu on Dec. 12, 2018. The asteroid may be a water-rich target for space miners.

Water on Asteroid Bennu Could Mean 'Pay Dirt' for Space Miners

By Mike Wall

The near-Earth asteroid Bennu could be Exhibit A for space miners making their case to skeptical investors.