Asteroids

Within the universe lies our solar system, of which the Sun, a star, is the center. Gravity keeps a wide variety of celestial objects in individual orbits that revolve around the Sun. Two of these…

Ice contains different properties than water, since the molecules in water expand when frozen. These properties allow students to conduct different types of science fair experiments or projects. The…

Often described as "dirty snowballs," comets are among the oldest objects in the solar system. Astronomers are especially interested in their chemical composition, as they represent the early universe…

Your medieval ancestors saw comets as alarming interlopers, harbingers of catastrophe or forerunners of impending doom. In the modern world, people know that comets are just giant dirty snowballs --…

Although people of ancient cultures once feared comets as bad omens, there's no need to run and hide if you see one. They are simply visitors, made of rock and ice, from the frigid outer solar system.…

The three laws of planetary motion, formulated by Johannes Kepler in the seventeenth century, describe the motions of the planets in our solar system to a high degree of accuracy. Historians of…

There are only eight bear species on Earth. These bears live all around the planet and all of the species can reach impressive sizes. Of these eight species, polar bears, grizzly bears and black bears…

Telescopes and computers are common astronomical tools in ready use today. The ancient Greeks, however, did not have the luxury of modern science. They instead relied on several complex yet ancient…

Comets and asteroids are studied for clues to help understand how the solar system formed. Fragments of asteroids that hit the Earth as meteorites can be analyzed to determine the composition of the…

The thought of an asteroid impacting the surface of earth is one that has been on the minds of scientists and Hollywood producers for many years. The truth is, NASA's NEO, or Near Earth Orbit program,…

Asteroids are small, rocky objects found within the solar system. They vary in composition; some are solid rock, while others are loosely grouped rubble and still others are made of metal. Their low…

The eight planets of this solar system -- Pluto having been formally demoted by the International Astronomers Union to the status of a dwarf planet -- may be divided into the smaller terrestrial…

Comets are small, icy bodies that orbit the Sun. They display a visible coma -- a thin, indistinct temporary atmosphere -- when they are in its vicinity. Their diameters range from 100 yards to more…

Meteorites are chunks of debris, usually rock or metal, that fall from the space. They can be very small, or as big as a car and most come from the asteroid belt -- the area between Jupiter and Mars.…

The terms asteroid and meteorite are often used interchangeably. The popular conception is that rocks in space are all the same thing. In fact, asteroids and meteors are very different objects.…

Between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter lies the asteroid belt, a region that houses metallic rock fragments called asteroids. Millions of asteroids measure greater than 1 kilometer in diameter. In the…

Phobos and Deimos are the moons of Mars. The names come from Greek mythology and naturally have a connection to the name of the planet they orbit. Phobos means "fear" and is one of Ares' (Mars) sons.…

The solar system is full of celestial objects moving about, such as meteors and comets. Comets are made up of ice, dust and small rocky particles and are seen far less frequently than meteors. They…

Asteroids are leftover material from when our solar system was formed. Sometimes the orbit of the Earth or their trajectory through space brings them close enough to be caught in Earth's gravity. When…

Though gym class remains one of the most important parts of a child's schooling, students can sometimes dread the tougher physical activities. As a gym teacher, you can choose gym activities that…

Observing asteroids isn't any more complicated than taking out your telescope or binoculars and looking skyward. On occasion, asteroids pass extremely close to the Earth and can be spotted by the…

Both asteroids and meteorites originate in outer space. Asteroids are small planet-like bodies that orbit the sun, and known as planetoids or minor planets. The asteroid belt that lies between Earth…

The asteroid belt is a group of asteroids, otherwise known as minor planets, that orbit the sun in the area between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. They are thought to be leftover fragments from the…

The asteroid belt is an area between Jupiter and Mars that contains as many as 1 million chunks of rock and metal called asteroids. These bodies circle the sun in an elliptical-shaped orbit. Some…

Asteroids, also called minor planets or planetoids, are heavenly bodies composed of rock or metal. These irregularly shaped objects orbit the sun, as does the Earth, with the majority of asteroids…

Asteroids are chunks of rocks in space that orbit the Sun in our solar system. In general, they are small, but some may be quite large. Ceres, the first one discovered, is about a quarter the diameter…

Comets are bodies made of rock, dust and ice that orbit the sun within our solar system. They range in size from just a hundred meters to several kilometers across. What separates a comet from an…