What are asteroids made of?

The physical properties of huge space-rocks whirling around the Sun could hold clues to the origins of the Solar System

Protecting Earth is one of the main reasons why scientists keep a close eye on asteroids, which are space rocks of all shapes and sizes that can be found scattered throughout the Solar System. It’s unclear how meteoroids, the rocks that become meteors when they crash into Earth’s atmosphere, were generated from asteroids. Still, NASA isn’t ruling a link out and is examining asteroids to learn more about how the Solar System was formed. Since planetary scientists believe planets gradually grew from rocks crashing into each other, the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter could be made up of the leftovers of the early Solar System. Therefore, ferreting out the secrets of asteroids could also give scientists clues as to how the Solar System came to be. Possibly, it could…

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All About Space Tour of the Universe (Digital) - 1 Issue, All About Space Tour of the Universe 4th Edition

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