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Asteroids
Asteroids, or planetoids, are rocks larger than meteorites but smaller than planets that orbit around the Sun.
1,071 Questions
Is the number of known asteroids over 0.5 miles in the diameter closest to?
The current estimate is that there are over 1,000 known asteroids with a diameter of 0.5 miles or larger that come close to Earth's orbit, but many more smaller ones exist. The actual number may vary as new asteroids are discovered and others go out of range.
Where does the asteroid belt sit in the solar system?
The asteroid belt is located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter in our solar system. It is a region where millions of rocky objects, varying in size from small pebbles to large asteroids, orbit the sun. The largest object in the asteroid belt is Ceres, which is classified as a dwarf planet.
Where is the biggest asteroid located?
The largest asteroid in our solar system is called Ceres, and it is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Ceres is classified as a dwarf planet due to its size and is about 590 miles (940 kilometers) in diameter.
Where do most asteroids exist?
Most asteroids exist in the asteroid belt, which is located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. This region is characterized by a large concentration of small rocky bodies that orbit the Sun. Some asteroids can also be found in other regions of the solar system.
Can a comet or asteroid break up to form a chunk of rock called a meteoroid?
Yes, comets and asteroids can break up due to various factors such as collisions or gravitational forces, leading to the formation of smaller rocks called meteoroids. These meteoroids can then enter the Earth's atmosphere and if they survive the fiery passage, they are known as meteors or shooting stars.
Why do asteroids hit the moon?
Asteroids hit the moon because the moon lacks a protective atmosphere like Earth's that can burn up or break apart incoming objects. Over time, the moon's surface has been bombarded by asteroid impacts due to the lack of atmospheric protection.
What the asteroids are larger or smaller than planets?
Planets are generally larger than asteroids. Asteroids are small rocky bodies that orbit the Sun, while planets are larger celestial objects that have cleared their orbit of other debris. Some asteroids can be quite large, but they are still dwarfed by the size of planets.
Where did the asteroid chicxulub hit?
The Chicxulub crater lies buried, straddling the northwest coastline of the Yucatán peninsula
What are meteorites that entered our atmosphere and hit earth without burning up called?
The terminology of space debris entering the Earth's athmosphere is a question of timing.
Outside the athmosphere, the debris is considered a 'meteoroid.'
Upon entering the athmosphere and while falling to the Earth, the debris is called a 'meteor.'
After striking the Earth, whatever material did not disintegrate is called a 'meteorite.'
So when you see a 'shooting star,' it is not a meteorite. It is technically a 'meteor.' Only after you find it on the ground is it a 'meteorite.'
Can there be moons that may be asteroids pulled from the asteroid belt?
Yes, it is possible for moons to be asteroids that were captured by a planet's gravity. This scenario typically occurs when a passing asteroid is caught in the gravitational field of a planet and becomes its moon.
How much does Cerus the asteroid weigh?
Cerus, officially known as 1 Ceres, is the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It has a mass of about 9.4 x 10^20 kg.
How do asteroids come toward earth?
Based on Newtonian Laws of Motion, asteroids are still under the original velocity imparted to them when they were made. The only external influences are the gravitational pull of the sun and other celestial objects.
Do asteroids have atmospheres?
The asteroid belt, is a "collection" of asteroids circling the Sun in between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. A collection cannot have an atmosphere. A single asteroid does not have enough mass to "hold" on to an atmosphere.
What large rocks float freely through space?
Asteroids and meteors are large rocks that float freely through space. They are rocky objects that orbit the sun and can range in size from a few meters to hundreds of kilometers in diameter. Some asteroids can be found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, while others orbit in other regions of the solar system.
What is the difference between an asteroid and an asteroid belt?
An asteroid is a relatively small object in space composed primarily of rock and/or metal. An asteroid belt is a region in space around a star that has a higher then normal concentration of asteroids.
What is the temperature in the core of the asteroid?
The temperature on a comet will vary by its position in its orbit. The part exposed to direct sunlight can easily reach 100°C or higher when close to the Sun. When a comet is at its farthest from the Sun, its temperature falls to as low as 4 K (-269°C), the effective temperature of outer space.
The temperature on a comet near Earth's orbit was measured by a NASA probe. The surface temperature on the Sun side was up to 50°C (122°F), while the side facing away was still -30°C to -80°C, indicating that the heat there had re-radiated into space, or been lost in the release of gas and dust. When the comet Ikeya-Seki curved around the sun last October, many astargazer's camera was focused on its fiery trail. But two California Institute of Technology researchers were deter mined to record far more than mere surface glow. And the Astrophysical Journal last week reported remarkable success. Eric Becklin, a graduate student in physics, and James Westphal, a senior research fellow in planetary science, not only obtained the first temperature measurements ever made of a comet, they also gained valuable insight into a comet's composition and behavior.
After fitting a 24-inch telescope with a sensitive infra-red detector, the Caltech scientists trained it on the comet for 19 days during its passage around the sun. Their first temperature measurement-700° F.-was made when Ikeya-Seki came within 45 million miles of the sun and heated up enough for its infra-red emissions to be picked up on earth. As the comet raced closer to the sun, its temperature climbed gradually, reaching 1,200° F. about 20 million miles from the solar surface. Then the comet's emissions were blotted out by the sun's own fierce radiation. On the return leg of its journey, Ikeya-Seki displayed identical temperature variations, dropping from 1,200° F. at 20 million miles to 700° F. at 45 million miles.
How many asteroids in the kuiper belt?
It is estimated that there are between hundreds of thousands to more than 100,000 asteroids in the Kuiper Belt. The Kuiper Belt is a region in our solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune, composed mainly of icy objects and dwarf planets.
How asteroids impacts effect humans?
v People would have no homes and no belongings
v They would need clothing, food and shelter
v Many might be injured
v It would cause riots from people trying to salvage things
v Law enforcement would suffer
v People will most likely be united to survive
v Some people will be greedy
v There would be an even larger pecking order
v People will become more self-reliant and independent
v The weaker will be killed off
What is difference between asteroids and meteoroids?
Asteroids are rocky objects that orbit around the Sun, mostly found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Meteoroids are smaller rocky or metallic objects that also orbit around the Sun but are much smaller than asteroids. When a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere, it burns up and creates a streak of light known as a meteor.
What layer of the atmosphere to meteors burn up in?
Meteors typically burn up in the mesosphere layer of the atmosphere, which is located between the stratosphere and thermosphere. This region is where most meteors vaporize due to the friction created by the high-speed entry through the Earth's atmosphere.
How long does it take for the asteroid belt to make a complete orbit around the sun?
This is not a scientific answer (corrections welcome) but based on the location of the Asteroid belt, the length of the Martian year and the length of the Jovian year, I would surmise that it takes the asteroid belt about 7earth years to orbit the sun. But don't quote me!
asteroids are in space. in our solar system they are located in the asteroid belt. this a location roughly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
Asteroids can have a wide range of temperatures depending on their distance from the sun and surface composition. On average, most asteroids have temperatures that range from -100°C to 100°C (-148°F to 212°F). However, some asteroids can reach much higher temperatures if they are closer to the sun or have dark surfaces that absorb more sunlight.
Could asteroids destroy the earth?
any time you have a large chunk of rock floating around a collision would be ugly. luckily most asteriods are trapped in the asteroid belt. meteors are debris coming in contact with the atmosphere. such heat is involved from friction that even marble sized meteors give quite the light show. it would take a huge one to break through the atmosphere to make contact with the earth's surface
What planets is the ateroid belt between'?
Most of the asteroids within our solar system can be found within the Asteroid Belt. Located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, the Asteroid Belt consists of millions of individual asteroids of varying sizes - from a speck of dust to hundreds of kilometers in diameter. The largest object within the belt is a dwarf planet - Ceres - which has a mass of 9.47x1020kg and a diameter of 476.2km.
