Sep 25, 2025 · Scientists can learn about asteroids by studying meteorites: tiny bits of asteroids that have flown through our atmosphere and landed on Earth’s surface. Several NASA space missions …

Sep 25, 2025 · An asteroid is a small rocky object that orbits the Sun. Asteroids are smaller than a planet, but they are larger than the pebble-size objects we call meteoroids.

Sep 25, 2025 · Learn more about asteroids, meteors, meteoroids, meteorites, and comets! explore What Is an Asteroid? And what can we learn from these space rocks in our solar system? explore Glossary …

Fun facts about comets and asteroids: Although comets may look bright in our night skies as their comas and tails reflect sunlight, the nucleus of a comet is black as charcoal.

Sep 25, 2025 · Because the Sun is the most massive object in the solar system, its gravity makes the planets, asteroids, and comets orbit around it. Objects that are further from the Sun orbit more slowly …

Apr 23, 2020 · An asteroid or meteor is more likely to hit Earth because Earth is a lot bigger than the Moon, giving a meteoroid more area to hit! But we can see many thousands of craters on the Moon …

Sep 25, 2025 · Where do comets come from? Comets are mostly found way out in the solar system. Some exist in a wide disk beyond the orbit of Neptune called the Kuiper Belt. We call these short …

People may think asteroids are just tiny chips of space rock, but some asteroids are large and planet-like with a range of rocky and icy material. These “space rocks” can reveal information about the …

Sep 25, 2025 · What causes them?If it's time for a meteor shower, you won't need a telescope, binoculars, or a high mountain to have a "star gazing" party. You might need a warm sleeping bag …

Dwarf planets orbit the Sun, and unlike smaller objects such as asteroids, they also have enough mass to form a sphere; however they don’t have the gravity needed to clear their orbits of other objects …