An asteroid is a rock or bit of rock that is orbiting the Sun roughly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. This area between Mars and Jupiter is called as asteroid belt. Mars is present at a distance of 1.52 AU from sun and Jupiter is present at a distance of 5.2 AU from sun. hence, the asteroid belt must lie between this distances and it is spread between 3.2 AU to 4.5 AU.
Sometimes, asteroids run into each other and when this happens, the asteroids may break up into smaller asteroids. Scientists think that most of the asteroids are result of collisions between larger rocky space bodies.
Do you know?
Rheasilvia Mons, the tallest mountains in the entire solar system is present on 4 Viesta, an asteroid that belong to the asteroid belt. The mountain is 90% the diameter of the asteroid.
Asteroids are minor planets (small Solar System bodies or dwarf planets) that are not comets, especially those of the inner Solar System. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones.
The image here shows the location of asteroid belt.
Gravitational perturbations from the giant planet (Jupiter) imbued the protoplanets with too much orbital energy for them to accrete into a planet. Collisions became too violent, and instead of fusing together, the planetesimals and most of the protoplanets shattered. As a result, most of the asteroid belt's mass has been lost since the formation of the Solar System. Some fragments can eventually find their way into the inner Solar System, leading to meteorite impacts with the inner planets.
Do you know?
Jupiter acts both as a friend and foe to our Earth while interacting with these asteroids. Few times it protects by pulling asteroids towards itself which are moving inside to inner planets and few times push the them towards the terrestrial planets.
Few of these asteroids when pushed into the inner solar system turn into comets by developing the tail as they move nearer to Sun.
Sometimes, asteroids run into each other and when this happens, the asteroids may break up into smaller asteroids. Scientists think that most of the asteroids are result of collisions between larger rocky space bodies.
Do you know?
Rheasilvia Mons, the tallest mountains in the entire solar system is present on 4 Viesta, an asteroid that belong to the asteroid belt. The mountain is 90% the diameter of the asteroid.
Asteroids are minor planets (small Solar System bodies or dwarf planets) that are not comets, especially those of the inner Solar System. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones.
The image here shows the location of asteroid belt.
Gravitational perturbations from the giant planet (Jupiter) imbued the protoplanets with too much orbital energy for them to accrete into a planet. Collisions became too violent, and instead of fusing together, the planetesimals and most of the protoplanets shattered. As a result, most of the asteroid belt's mass has been lost since the formation of the Solar System. Some fragments can eventually find their way into the inner Solar System, leading to meteorite impacts with the inner planets.
Do you know?
Jupiter acts both as a friend and foe to our Earth while interacting with these asteroids. Few times it protects by pulling asteroids towards itself which are moving inside to inner planets and few times push the them towards the terrestrial planets.
Few of these asteroids when pushed into the inner solar system turn into comets by developing the tail as they move nearer to Sun.
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