Asteroids & Minor Planets - Asteroids Facts
The Asteroid Belt stretches between Mars and Jupiter, containing a large number of small or minor rocky asteroids. Outside the orbit of Neptune is the Kuyper Belt, another area of our solar system containing asteroids. Some asteroids also orbit outside the "belts." Find out more about these asteroids.
Ceres
The first asteroid to be discovered, Ceres is by far the largest and most massive body in the main asteroid belt, totalling about a third of the total mass of the entire belt. It was discovered by Giuseppe Piazzi, a monk in Sicily and the founding director of the Palermo Astronomical Observatory. Named after the Roman goddess of the harvest, of growing plants, and motherly love, Ceres is the smallest of the dwarf planets, a new category of astronomical bodies created by the IAU in 2006.
The first asteroid to be discovered, Ceres is by far the largest and most massive body in the main asteroid belt, totalling about a third of the total mass of the entire belt. It was discovered by Giuseppe Piazzi, a monk in Sicily and the founding director of the Palermo Astronomical Observatory. Named after the Roman goddess of the harvest, of growing plants, and motherly love, Ceres is the smallest of the dwarf planets, a new category of astronomical bodies created by the IAU in 2006.
Ceres Pictures Gallery
Known by astronomers as 1 Ceres, it was the very first minor planet discovered. As big across as Texas, Ceres' nearly spherical body has a differentiated interior - meaning that, like Earth, it has denser material at the core and lighter minerals near the surface. Astronomers believe that water ice may be buried under Ceres' crust because its density is less than that of the Earth's crust, and be…
Known by astronomers as 1 Ceres, it was the very first minor planet discovered. As big across as Texas, Ceres' nearly spherical body has a differentiated interior - meaning that, like Earth, it has denser material at the core and lighter minerals near the surface. Astronomers believe that water ice may be buried under Ceres' crust because its density is less than that of the Earth's crust, and be…
Ceres
The Texas-sized asteroid Ceres, about 930 kilometers (580 miles) across, was the first asteroid ever detected. Ceres was identified in 1801 by astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi, a monk in Sicily and the founding director of the Palermo Astronomical Observatory. First called a planet, Ceres was later demoted to an asteroid.
The Texas-sized asteroid Ceres, about 930 kilometers (580 miles) across, was the first asteroid ever detected. Ceres was identified in 1801 by astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi, a monk in Sicily and the founding director of the Palermo Astronomical Observatory. First called a planet, Ceres was later demoted to an asteroid.
Asteroids Information - Astronomical Data and Pictures of Asteroids
Asteroids are rocky fragments left over from formation of the solar system about 4.6 billion years ago. Most asteroids can be found orbiting the Sun in a belt between Mars & Jupiter called the Asteroid Belt. It probably contains millions of asteroids. Learn more facts about asteroids and find pictures of asteroids.
Asteroids are rocky fragments left over from formation of the solar system about 4.6 billion years ago. Most asteroids can be found orbiting the Sun in a belt between Mars & Jupiter called the Asteroid Belt. It probably contains millions of asteroids. Learn more facts about asteroids and find pictures of asteroids.