Asteroid

An asteroid is a minor planet of the inner Solar System. The word "asteroid" is derived from the Greek word asteroeidēs, meaning "star-like" or "star-shaped". In Hebrew, it is known as אסטרואיד (asteroid). In other languages, it is referred to as Astéroïde in French, Asteroide in Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, and Asteroid in German. Asteroids are rocky bodies, also known as planetoids or minor planets, that orbit the Sun. The larger ones have also been called planetoids. These rocky bodies are remnants from the early Solar System and are often found in the asteroid belt, a region between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Some asteroids have orbits that take them closer to the Sun and Earth, potentially posing an impact hazard. Asteroids can vary greatly in size, from the largest, Ceres, which is about 940 kilometers (580 miles) in diameter, to the smallest, which can be just a few meters across.