Asteroids

Asteroids : Asteroids are also known as minor planets. They are objects that revolve around the Sun. They are mostly found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Asteroids are a belt of debris which failed to assemble into planets and keeps on revolving around the Sun. This has come to be called as 'asteroid belt'.

An Asteroid

More than 5000 asteroids have been identified. Asteroids may be spherical, elongated or irregular in shape. All asteroids rotate on their axis, every 5 to 20 hours. Certain asteroids may have satellites.

Trojan asteroids are found in two clouds moving in the orbit of Jupiter, one moving ahead of it and the other moving behind it.

Rotating Asteroid

"Scientits believe that these asteroids occupy a place where a planet could have exited but was prevented from its formation by the disruptive gravitational force of the giant planet, Jupiter."