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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 Hubble Space Telescope spotted a growing, gaseous supernova remnant, known as 1E 0102.2-7219, from a supernova explosion that occurred 1,700 years ago during the fall of the Roman Empire. The star that exploded in the event was from the Small Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy to our own Milky Way Galaxy located about 200,000 light-years away. At the time of the supernova event, people living in Earth's southern hemisphere would have been able to see the light coming from this blast, though there are no known records of the event from humans on Earth.

Pictures from space! Our image of the day

By Space.com Staff

The Hubble Space Telescope spotted a growing, gaseous supernova remnant, known as 1E 0102.2-7219, from a supernova explosion that occurred 1,700 years ago during the fall of the Roman Empire.

"Shooting stars" rain down on Big Bend National Park in Texas in this photo of the 2016 Perseid meteor shower.

Imaginary Earths: Countless Falling Stars

By Charles Q. Choi

What if the world were constantly bombarded with space-rock smashups, big enough and frequent enough to shape the course of entire cultures?

An artist's depiction of the Hayabusa2 spacecraft after inserting its capsule into Earth's atmosphere for sample delivery.

Japanese asteroid-sampling probe begins long trek to next space rock

By Mike Wall

Just a month after returning asteroid samples to Earth, Japan's Hayabusa2 probe is officially on the move toward another space rock.

Target Earth: This illustration shows a space rock approaching Earth, perhaps headed for destructive impact on our world.

Defending Earth against dangerous asteroids: Q&A with NASA's Lindley Johnson

By Leonard David

Space.com caught up with NASA Planetary Defense Officer Lindley Johnson to discuss recent events and what's on the planetary-defense agenda in the coming year.

The strange bright spots of Occator Crater on the dwarf planet Ceres are unmistakable in this spectacular photo by NASA's Dawn spacecraft taken on Oct. 17, 2016 and released on Nov. 18 as Dawn moves into a higher orbit.

Mysterious asteroid the size of a dwarf planet is lurking in our solar system

By Rafi Letzter

There's a giant asteroid somewhere out there in the solar system, and it hurled a big rock at Earth that left behind meteorites unlike any scientists had ever seen.

In 2020, scientists announced the potential discovery of phosphine in in the clouds of Venus, sparking speculation on its implications for life.

The 10 biggest space discoveries and stories of 2020

By Doris Elin Urrutia

This year saw a new age of sample-retrieval missions, protests against a telescope, an incredible visit from a dazzling comet and the ''great conjunction'' of Saturn and Jupiter.

Japan's first look inside the sample capsule of its Hayabusa2 spacecraft shows plentiful asteroid dust from Ryugu; although it appears brown in this image, the agency noted it looks black in real life.

Japanese scientists get first peek inside Hayabusa2 asteroid sample-return capsule

By Meghan Bartels

Japanese scientists have gotten their first look inside the capsule container of the Hayabusa2 spacecraft, and even the first glance is promising.

An aerial shot of the Hayabusa2 return capsule and parachute after its landing on a bush in the Woomera Prohibited Area, Australia.

Samples of asteroid Ryugu arrive in Japan after successful Hayabusa2 capsule landing

By Meghan Bartels

Japanese scientists are thrilled to finally have asteroid samples arrive Monday (Dec. 7) after a long flight from Australia — and a much longer journey through the solar system.

The return capsule of Japan's Hayabusa2 asteroid-sampling mission streaks through Earth's atmosphere shortly before landing on Dec. 5, 2020.

Japanese space capsule carrying pristine asteroid samples lands in Australia

By Mike Wall

A small capsule bearing pristine pieces of the near-Earth asteroid Ryugu touched down today (Dec. 5) in the Outback of South Australia.

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

We may be in a 'golden age' of sample-return space missions

By Doris Elin Urrutia

Modern astronomy is going through a new chapter of sample-retrieval missions, which started with the Apollo program.

Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft will return samples of the asteroid Ryugu to Earth on Dec. 5, 2020. Here: An artist's illustration of that sample capsule entering Earth's atmosphere.

Japan is bringing pieces of an asteroid to Earth today. Here's how to watch online.

By Elizabeth Howell

Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft is about to deliver a precious sample of asteroid dust to Earth late Friday, Dec. 4 (EST), and you can watch the event live.

A diagram showing the path of 2020 SO, which is likely a Centaur upper stage from a lunar mission launched during the 1960s.

A piece of vintage NASA space junk from a 1966 moon mission just whizzed by Earth

By Elizabeth Howell

A misunderstood piece of space junk whizzed by Earth Tuesday (Dec. 1), but don't worry, it's just part of an old moon mission's rocket.

An image shows the catwalk astronomers used to reach the science equipment, including a radar transmitter, suspended over the massive radio telescope at Arecibo Observatory.

After Arecibo, NASA isn't sure what comes next for planetary radar

By Meghan Bartels

Arecibo Observatory's massive radio telescope has collapsed; with it has gone a crucial tool in understanding asteroid risks to Earth — and it would take a serious government initiative to replace.

Radar data of an asteroid dubbed Phaethon captured by Arecibo Observatory in December 2017.

Losing Arecibo's giant dish leaves humans more vulnerable to space rocks, scientists say

By Meghan Bartels

Ignorance may feel like bliss, but preparedness offers better odds of surviving what is to come. And when it comes to planetary defense, ignorance just became a bit more inevitable.

The asteroid Ryugu, as seen by Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft on June 26, 2018.

Asteroid Ryugu: The twirling space rock visited by Hayabusa2

By Adam Mann

Information about the asteroid Ryugu, which was explored by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft from 2018 to 2019.

ESA’s Herschel Space Observatory captured asteroid Apophis in its field of view during the approach to Earth on January, 5-6, 2013. This image shows the asteroid in Herschel’s three PACS wavelengths: 70, 100 and 160 microns.

Asteroid Apophis is speeding up from sunlight as scientists recalculate odds of 2068 impact

By Elizabeth Howell

Astronomers say they'll have to keep an eye on the near-Earth asteroid Apophis to see how much of a danger the space rock poses to our planet during a close pass in 2068.

The left image shows OSIRIS-REx’s collector head hovering over the Sample Return Capsule (SRC) after the probe’s robotic arm moved it into the proper position for capture. The right image shows the collector head secured onto the capture ring in the SRC. Both images were captured by OSIRIS-REx’s StowCam camera.

NASA asteroid probe stows space-rock sample for return to Earth

By Mike Wall

NASA's pioneering OSIRIS-REx probe has bagged up its precious asteroid sample for return to Earth.

Captured by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s SamCam camera on Oct. 22, 2020, this series of three images shows that the sampler head on the NASA spacecraft is full of rocks and dust collected from the surface of the asteroid Bennu. Some of these particles are slowly escaping the sampler head. Analysis by the OSIRIS-REx team suggests that bits of material are passing through small gaps where the head’s Mylar flap is slightly wedged open.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is tucking away precious asteroid samples for safekeeping

By Meghan Bartels

NASA's asteroid-sampling maneuver last week was so successful that the spacecraft will begin stowing its new souvenirs today (Oct. 27) to avoid losing rock by idling around.

This image, captured by OSIRIS-REx’s SamCam camera on Oct. 22, 2020, shows that the probe’s sampler head is full of rocks and dust collected from the asteroid Bennu, and that some of the particles are slowly escaping into space.

NASA asteroid probe is overflowing with space-rock samples

By Mike Wall

OSIRIS-REx snagged so much dirt and rock from the asteroid Bennu on Tuesday that the probe's sampling mechanism didn't close properly, allowing some of the collected material to escape into space.

Two images taken by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft show the sampling arm touch the surface of asteroid Bennu.

NASA's first attempt to sample an asteroid in space made a mess. It's the best mess ever, scientists say.

By Tariq Malik

A NASA spacecraft has really made a mess of things on the asteroid Bennu, and scientists are thrilled. OSIRIS-REx performed well in its sampling attempt.