Asteroids Pictures Gallery

Asteroids were first observed with telescopes in the early 1800s, and in 1802, the astronomer William Herschel first used the word "asteroid," which means "starlike" in Greek, to describe these celestial bodies. Most of what we have learned about them in the past 200 years has been derived from telescopic observations.

Now, you can see some of our smaller neighbors up close and personal. Check out our Asteroids Pictures Gallery.

Image Credit: NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory