Asteroids

Asteroid: elatively small, inactive body, composed of rock, carbon or metal, which is orbiting the Sun. Comet: A relatively small, sometimes active object, which is composed of dirt and ices. Comets are characterised by dust and gas tails when in proximity to the Sun. Far from the Sun it is difficult to distinguish an asteroid from a comet. Meteoroid: A small particle from an asteroid or comet orbiting he Sun. Meteor:A meteoroid that is observed as it burns up in the Earth's atmosphere - a shooting star. Meteorite: A meteoroid that survives its passage through the Earth's atmosphere and impacts the Earth's surface.
A meteoroid is a meteor that hits earth and is recorded, a meteor just keeps orbiting, and orbiting the sun

They are referred to as asteroids.

If it enters a planet's atmosphere it can heat up and start to burn and turn into a fireball.

The asteroid belt is a ring of scattered space rock located between the orbits of mars and Jupiter, the reason why it is in it's current location is because the gas giant Jupiter's massive gravitational pull prevents the space rocks from colliding together and creating a planet. It is the left over material from when the solar system was forming that was unable to form into planets.

"Meteor" (1979). Stars Sean Connery, Natalie Wood, Karl Malden, Brian Keith, Martin Landau, Trevor Howard, Henry Fonda.

Technically this is a comet film: "Deep Impact" (1998). Stars Robert Duvall, Morgan Freeman, Tea Leoni, Elijah Wood, Vanessa Redgrave, Maximilian Schell, James Cromwell, Jon Favreau, Mary McCormack, Leelee Sobieski.

Technically this is an asteroid film: "Armageddon" (1998). Stars Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Steve Buscemi, Owen Wilson.

No. And even then, something that large would not be conisdered an asteroid. Such an object would be more than 3 times the diameter of Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system.

An asteroid, because the orbits of the asteroids are nearer to the earth than the comets.

No, it does not have enough mass to hold any "atmosphere".

Yes, asteroid images can become blurry due to outgassing as they are heated by the Sun. When an asteroid's surface warms, volatile materials may sublimate, creating gas and dust that can obscure the asteroid's features. This outgassing can lead to a temporary hazy appearance in images captured by telescopes, affecting the clarity and resolution of the observations.

Asteroids, even very large ones, actually come close to earth regularly and cause no harm and no effect on life on earth. The concern would be a large asteroid crashing into the earth.

The four main groups of asteroids are:

1. C-type (carbonaceous) asteroids, which are the most common and are rich in carbon and other minerals.
2. S-type (silicaceous) asteroids, composed primarily of silicate materials and metals.
3. M-type (metallic) asteroids, which consist mostly of metallic iron and nickel.
4. V-type (vestoids) asteroids, believed to originate from the asteroid Vesta, primarily made up of basaltic rock.

A small particle from a comet or asteroid that orbits the sun is called a "meteoroid." These particles can vary in size, ranging from tiny grains to larger rocks. When they enter Earth's atmosphere and produce a visible streak of light, they are referred to as "meteors," and if they survive the passage and land on Earth, they are called "meteorites."

Comets typically range from a few kilometers to tens of kilometers in diameter, while asteroids can vary widely, from less than a kilometer to over 1,000 kilometers across. Meteoroids are generally smaller, usually ranging from a grain of sand up to about a meter in size. Overall, the sizes of these celestial bodies can differ significantly based on their classification and individual characteristics.

No, the Sun is not inside the asteroid belt. The asteroid belt is located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, while the Sun is at the center of the solar system. The belt contains numerous small rocky bodies, but it is situated in the vast space surrounding the Sun.

Yes, astronomers have extensively studied the main asteroid belt, which lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. They have observed it using a variety of telescopes and spacecraft, including the Hubble Space Telescope and missions like NASA's Dawn, which explored the dwarf planet Ceres and the asteroid Vesta. These observations have provided valuable insights into the composition, size distribution, and dynamics of the asteroids in this region. The main asteroid belt is well-documented, with thousands of individual asteroids cataloged.

The asteroid impact theory is primarily supported by the presence of a layer of iridium-rich clay found in the geologic record, particularly at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary, which coincides with the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs approximately 66 million years ago. Additionally, the discovery of the Chicxulub crater in Mexico, which is about 150 kilometers in diameter and dated to the same period, provides strong physical evidence of a significant impact event. Further, shocked quartz and microtektites found in various locations globally reinforce the hypothesis of a high-energy impact. These findings collectively suggest that a large asteroid collision played a crucial role in the dramatic ecological changes of that era.

Asteroids are generally not spherical; they often have irregular shapes due to their small size and the lack of significant gravitational forces to mold them into a round form. While some larger asteroids can be somewhat rounded, many have bumpy, elongated, or potato-like shapes. Their surfaces can also be heavily cratered and rugged, reflecting their history of collisions and space weathering.

Yes, planetoids are often referred to as asteroids. They are small rocky bodies that orbit the Sun, primarily found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. While the term "planetoid" can also refer to other small celestial bodies, in common usage, it typically denotes asteroids.

Asteroids can be destroyed through various processes, including collisions with other celestial bodies, such as planets or larger asteroids, which can break them apart. They can also be affected by gravitational forces from nearby planets, leading to fragmentation. Additionally, the heat from close encounters with the Sun can cause their surfaces to vaporize or break apart due to thermal stress. Lastly, human intervention, such as proposed asteroid deflection missions, could also aim to alter their trajectories or destroy them.