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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 

Latest Updates

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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 published

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.

Centaurs haven't been studied directly, but some scientists suspect they may look like this asteroid, called Mathilde.

Our solar system stole asteroids from interstellar space when it was young, scientists say

By Meghan Bartels published

A cache of interstellar asteroids may have been hiding under scientists' noses for billions of years, researchers say.

The Arecibo Observatory captured this radar image of the big asteroid 1998 OR2 on April 18, 2020. 1998 OR2 will fly by Earth at a distance of 3.9 million miles (6.3 million kilometers) on April 29.

Big asteroid shows itself ahead of Earth flyby on April 29 (photo)

By Mike Wall published

The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico captured a radar image of 1998 OR2, which will zoom within 3.9 million miles (6.3 million kilometers) of our planet on April 29.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft captured this series of images of asteroid Bennu on April 14, 2020, during the first rehearsal of the mission's sample collection event. This animation shows the SamCam instrument's field of view as the spacecraft approached and moved away from the asteroid's surface over a 10-minute time period between the "checkpoint" burn and the "back-away" burn. The spacecraft's sampling arm — called the Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) — is visible in the central part of the frame.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft aces asteroid-sampling dress rehearsal

By Hanneke Weitering published

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which is getting ready to scoop a sample of asteroid Bennu, has successfully completed a partial dress rehearsal for its historic trip to the asteroid's surface.