Asteroids
There are no planets between Mars and Jupiter, just a band of debris called the asteroid belt. Most are just a few metres in length, but the largest asteroid, Ceres, is 945km in diameter and is often classified as a dwarf planet. NASA's space probe Dawnhas recently started orbiting Ceres. Asteroid impact is currently the best theory for why the dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago. The 1998 Bruce Willis movie Armageddon fuelled concerns that a near-Earth asteroid, such as Apophis, might collide with the Earth again.
Five ‘near-miss’ asteroids, including one ‘city-killer’, to approach Earth today
An asteroid potentially the length of 30 London buses will whizz past Earth today while you're having your Valentine's brunch. And it’s only one of five asteroids making a close approach today.
NASA Psyche mission launch live: When and how to watch the SpaceX liftoff
Set to visit a giant metal asteroid to investigate material left over from the early solar system, Pscyhe is an exciting new NASA mission.
Asteroid Bennu could shatter Earth. Here’s how Sunday’s OSIRIS-REx mission will stop it
There’s a higher chance of the asteroid striking the Earth than you finding a four-leaf clover. Scientists have 160 years to deflect it.
OSIRIS-REx landing: When and how to watch NASA's Bennu asteroid sample return to Earth
Nasa’s first-ever asteroid sample-return mission will land on Earth this Sunday.
Could an asteroid impact ever change Earth’s orbit?
The impact an asteroid could have on Earth depends on many things including velocity, angle and geology.
How do the rocks stay on the surface of Dimorphos?
Dimorphos is a small moon that orbits the asteroid Didymos, and the target of NASA's DART mission in September 2022.
Asteroid sneak attack: Why Earth is under threat from tiny city-destroying space rocks
History has shown that even small asteroids can cause a significant amount of damage - and we can't even detect them.
Where were my body's atoms a million years ago?
Travel back in time and discover the surprising origin story of the atoms that make up your body - a million years in the making.
Japanese asteroid-hunter collects alien vitamins sample
The Hayabusa2 spacecraft spent a year and a half gathering rock samples from the asteroid Ryugu.
DART: Everything you need to know about NASA’s mission to deflect an asteroid
On 27 September the space agency deliberately crashed a spacecraft into an asteroid as part of its planetary defence programme.
NASA is ready to test tech that could save the Earth from devastating asteroid impact
The space agency's DART spacecraft will attempt to knock a passing asteroid off its path.
Meteor, asteroid and comet: What’s the difference?
Know your meteorite from your meteoroid with our handy guide.
Dinosaur fossils discovered from the day the asteroid hit Earth
The discovery could prove once and for all that an asteroid impact 66 million years ago wiped out the dinosaurs.
Earth has a new companion asteroid that will share our orbit for 4,000 years
It’s much bigger than the only other known Trojan asteroid, and is leading the way as we orbit the Sun.
Huge 1km-wide asteroid will pass by Earth today
Asteroid (7482) 1994 PC1, which measures the same as three Eiffel Towers, will make its closest approach at 9:51pm tonight.
Has an object ever left Earth’s atmosphere through natural means?
Many pieces of space rock have been found on Earth but there may be one single piece from Earth discovered elsewhere.
Psyche: The metal mini-world that could change everything we know about the Solar System
There’s a giant metal asteroid floating out beyond Mars that might be the core of a planet that was smashed to smithereens aeons ago. NASA’s sending a probe to find out, but a positive answer could cause even bigger problems.
How can we tell that a meteorite has come from a particular planet?
Asked by: Rodney Minns, Liphook, Hampshire
Evidence of 2,000km-wide asteroid impact crater in Antarctica discovered
Scientists recovered extra-terrestrial particles on the summit of Walnumfjellet within the Sør Rondane Mountains in east Antarctica.
This year's largest near-Earth asteroid to pass by on Sunday
During its approach, the asteroid 2001 FO32 will pass by at about 124,000km/h – faster than the speed at which most asteroids encounter Earth.
Jupiter flung the dinosaur-killing comet into Earth, new study suggests
Gravitational pulls can cause the Solar System to act like a giant ‘pinball machine’, researchers at Harvard University say.
Reality Check | No, an asteroid probably won’t smash into Earth the day before the US elections, and here’s why
What are the chances that we'll be struck by a space rock?
Dinosaur extinction | Asteroid impact ‘only plausible explanation’
Researchers say an asteroid caused an impact winter for decades, and that the environmental effects destroyed suitable environments for the creatures.
Comets and asteroids | 5 things you (probably) didn't know
If everything you know about asteroids comes from disaster movies then it’s time to brush up on your space rock knowledge – rather than destroying life, they could have started it…