Asteroids

Asteroids, sometimes also called Planetoids especially those that are bigger in size, is a term in astronomy or astrophysics for small rocky bodies orbiting the sun between those of Mars and Jupiter, which is called the asteroid belt. Existence of asteroids was surmised in 1596, but gradually discovered in the 19th century onward, the first on Jan. 1, 1801, and named Ceres. By the first decade of 20th century more than 200 asteroids were already discovered. Large numbers of these ranging in size from nearly 1,000 km across Ceres to dust particles. Some of the asteroids have more eccentric orbits. A few of them also found passing through the space very close to the earth, while some even enter the Earth's atmosphere that we know as meteors.

In zoology, the term asteroids refers to echinoderms, the marine invertebrates of the phylum Echinodermata of the class Asteroidea, such as a starfish.

Nearby pages
Asthenia, Asthenic, Asthenosphere, Asthmatic, Asti, Asti Spumante, Astigmatic