Asteroids

Asteroids, Meteors, and Comets: Key Facts

• S-type asteroids are made of nickel-iron and silicate materials and appear bright, while M-type asteroids are composed of nickel-iron, with some having volcanic lava on their surface.
• Most asteroids are located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, believed to be leftover rock fragments from the solar system's formation.
• Near-Earth asteroids sometimes cross into Earth's orbit, and Trojans are asteroids that orbit planets.
• Asteroids orbit the sun in varying distances and shapes, with some being pulled toward larger bodies like Mars or Jupiter during orbit.
• Meteors are rocks from space that enter Earth's atmosphere, producing a fireball known as a shooting star.
• Meteors range in size from a spec of dust to the size of an asteroid and are typically made of rocks, metal, or a combination of the two.
• Meteors can originate from asteroids, comets, other planets, or the moon, with some meteor showers originating from comets.
• When meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere, they become meteors, and those that reach the ground are called meteorites.
• Comets are remnants of the solar system's formation, made of dust, rocks, and ice, and release gases as they heat up near the sun.
• Comets range in size from a few miles to tens of miles wide and are believed to originate from the Oort Cloud or the Kuiper Belt.
• Long-period comets take over 200 years to orbit the sun and originate from the Oort Cloud, while short-period comets take less than 200 years and originate from the Kuiper Belt.
• Asteroids are solid rock and metal objects, while comets release gases to create a head and tail, and meteors are pieces of rock and other space objects that burn up in Earth's atmosphere.

Test your knowledge of asteroids, meteors, and comets with this quiz! Learn key facts about the composition, origin, and behavior of these celestial objects as they travel through space and interact with Earth's atmosphere.