asteroids
Belt between planets
Asteroids are rocky objects orbiting the sun, smaller than planets but larger than meteoroids.
Most occupy the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
The term also names the classic arcade game where players destroy space rocks: I spent hours playing Asteroids at the arcade.
Outer solar system region
- CeresGoddess of crops and growth
- VestaGoddess of hearth
- PallasEpithet for Athena
- ErosGreek deity of desire
Psyche · Ida · Trojans · centaurs · trans-Neptunian
Vehicle for outer space
- HayabusaAsteroid-sampling space probe
- DawnProper name suggesting beginning
- probeThorough examination or tool
- flybyClose pass without landing
rendezvous · landing · mining · prospecting · resources · propellant · colonization · NASA
Impact or volcanic basin
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- airburstExplosion in the atmosphere
- shockwavePropagating pressure disturbance
- ejectaMaterial forcibly discharged
fireball · meteorite · bolide · devastation · cataclysm · impactor · tsunami
Containing or composed of carbon
- metallicResembling ore-based elements
- ironElement twenty-six
- nickelElement twenty-eight, or coin
- cobaltElement twenty-seven
chondrite · stony-iron · regolith · olivine · pyroxene · spectroscopy · monolithic · porosity
Path of moving object
- ellipticalOval-shaped or indirect
- perihelionOrbital point nearest sun
- aphelionFarthest point from sun
- inclinationDisposition toward something
eccentricity · Trojan · Apollo · resonance · perturbation · retrograde · prograde · crossing
Science of celestial objects
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- albedoSurface reflection coefficient
- rotationTurning on an axis
- binaryConsisting of two parts
moon · taxonomy · protoplanetary · accretion · planetesimal · isotope · chronology · primordial
Change in trajectory
- DARTKinetic impactor spacecraft mission
- detectionAct of finding something
- trackingMonitoring location over time
- early-warningAdvance notification of danger
mitigation · NEO · fragmentation · evacuation · monitoring · survey
Kuiper
Outer solar system region
spacecraft
Vehicle for outer space
- HayabusaAsteroid-sampling space probe
- DawnProper name suggesting beginning
- probeThorough examination or tool
flyby · rendezvous · landing · mining · prospecting · resources · propellant · colonization · NASA · ESA
crater
Impact or volcanic basin
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- airburstExplosion in the atmosphere
- shockwavePropagating pressure disturbance
ejecta · fireball · meteorite · bolide · devastation · cataclysm · impactor · tsunami
carbonaceous
Containing or composed of carbon
cobalt · chondrite · stony-iron · regolith · olivine · pyroxene · spectroscopy · monolithic · porosity · density
trajectory
Path of moving object
- ellipticalOval-shaped or indirect
- perihelionOrbital point nearest sun
- aphelionFarthest point from sun
inclination · eccentricity · Trojan · Apollo · resonance · perturbation · retrograde · prograde · crossing · flyby
astronomy
Science of celestial objects
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- albedoSurface reflection coefficient
- rotationTurning on an axis
binary · moon · taxonomy · protoplanetary · accretion · planetesimal · isotope · chronology · primordial
deflection
Change in trajectory
- DARTKinetic impactor spacecraft mission
- detectionAct of finding something
- trackingMonitoring location over time
early-warning · mitigation · NEO · fragmentation · evacuation · monitoring · survey
- space scienceastronomy class, planetary science, cosmology, planets, stars
- Asteroidsnear-Earth objects, Ceres, Vesta, Pallas, Juno
- cosmic matterstars, galaxies, dark matter, planets, cosmic dust
- space hazardscomets, meteors, meteorites, solar flares, cosmic rays
- space materialsmeteorites, moon rocks, lunar samples, stardust, space rocks
- space resourceswater ice, helium-3, oxygen, hydrogen, titanium
asteroidsplanets
Star-orbiting celestial bodies
gas giants · Jupiter · major planets · terrestrial planets · dwarf planets
asteroidsgas giants
Planets of hydrogen, helium
comets · ice giants · Neptune · Uranus
asteroidsstars
Luminous celestial bodies
galaxies · black holes · quasars · supernovae · neutron stars
- asteroid beltPlanetary rubble orbit zone
- asteroid impactSpace rock collision event
- asteroid miningHarvesting materials from celestial bodies
- mining asteroidsExtracting resources from celestial bodies