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Earth's solar system has several '''major asteroids''', most of which can be found in the [[asteroid belt]] between [[Mars]] and [[Jupiter]].  

Earth's [[solar system]] has several '''major asteroids''', most of which can be found in the [[asteroid belt]] between [[Mars]] and [[Jupiter]]. A list of notable asteroids are below.

 

A list of notable asteroids are below:<br />

==Ceres==

==Ceres==

[[Image:Ceres.jpg]]<br />_{Hubble.org Photo}

[[Image:Ceres.jpg|right|150px]]

 

 

==Pallas==

==Pallas==

[[Image:Pallas.jpg]]<br />_{<ref>http://www.planetary.org/image/asteroid_pallas_adler.jpg</ref>}<br />

[[Image:Pallas.jpg|left|150px]]<br/>

'''Pallas''' is the second largest asteroid. It was found and named by astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Matthäus Olbers on March 28, 1802.<ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/2-pallas</ref> It has a diameter of 532&nbsp;km <ref>http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2;orb=0;cov=0#phys_par</ref>

[[Pallas (asteroid)|Pallas]] is the third largest asteroid and named after the [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] goddess of wisdom, [[Pallas Athena]].<ref name=pallas_britannica>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pallas|title=Pallas|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref> It was found and named by astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Matthäus Olbers on March 28, 1802. It has a diameter of 513&nbsp;km.<ref name=pallas_britannica/>

==Vesta==

==Vesta==

[[Image:Vesta.jpg]]<br />_{Hubble.org Photo}

[[Image:Vesta.jpg|150px]]<br/>

 

[[Vesta]] was the fourth asteroid to be discovered and has a diameter of 525 kilometers (326 miles) and is smaller than the state of [[Arizona]]. It rotates about its axis in 5.34 hours.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://solarviews.com/eng/vesta.htm|title=Vesta|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref> It was visited by [[NASA]]'s Dawn space mission in 2011-2012 before the Dawn probe headed off to [[Ceres]].<ref name=dawn/>

'''Vesta''' was the fourth asteroid to be discovered and has a diameter of 525 kilometers (326 miles) and is smaller than the state of Arizona. It rotates about its axis in 5.34 hours.<ref>http://www.solarviews.com/eng/vesta.htm</ref>

==433 Eros==

==433 Eros==

[[Image:433Eros.jpg]]<br />_{NASA/ JHU APL photo}<br />_{Asteroid 433 Eros}

[[Image:433Eros.jpg|150px]]<br/>

 

'''433 Eros''' is the second largest known [[Near-Earth asteroid|Near Earth Asteroid]] with a diameter of 16.84&nbsp;km.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=433%20eros;orb=0;cov=0#phys_par|title=433 Eros (1898 DQ)|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref> It was discovered on August 13, 1898 by Schreiben von Herrn G. Witt.<ref name=eros_britannica>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eros-asteroid|title=Eros|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref> As a Near Earth Asteroid, its [[orbit]] in mostly within that of [[Mars]] and pass within 14 million miles (22 million kilometers) of [[Earth]].<ref name=eros_britannica/> It was also the first asteroid to be orbited and landed on by a spacecraft.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/near-shoemaker/in-depth/|title=NEAR Shoemaker|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref> The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Shoemaker mission was launched on February 17, 1996 and arrived at Eros on February 12, 2001.

'''433 Eros''' is the second largest known [[Near Earth Asteroid]]. It has a diameter of 16.84&nbsp;km<ref>http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=433%20eros;orb=0;cov=0#phys_par</ref> and it was discovered on August 13, 1898 by Schreiben von Herrn G. Witt.

==617 Patroclus==

==617 Patroclus==

[[Image:Patroclus.jpg]]<br />_{<ref>http://www.planetary.org/image/patroclus_menoetius_keck.jpg</ref>}<br />

[[Image:Patroclus.jpg|right|150px]]

'''617 Patroclus''' was discovered on October 17, 1906 by A. Kopff from [[Heidelberg]], Germany. It is 76 miles (122&nbsp;km) in size.<ref>http://www.planetary.org/explore/topics/near_earth_objects/asteroids_and_comets/patroclus.html</ref>

'''617 Patroclus''' was discovered on October 17, 1906 by A. Kopff from [[Heidelberg]], Germany. It is 87 miles (140&nbsp;km) in size.<ref name=patroclus_jpl>{{cite web|url=https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=Patroclus;old=0;orb=1;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#phys_par|title=617 Patroclus (1906 VY)|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref> It is a Trojan asteroid.

Its companion object '''Menoetius''' was discovered on September 22, 2001 by William J. Merline, Laird M. Close, N. Siegler, D. Potter, C. R. Chapman, C. Dumas, F. Menard, and D. C. Slater using the Gemini North adaptive optics telescope at Mauna Kea, Hawaii.<ref>http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/astmoons/am-00617.html</ref> It's nearly as large as 617 Patroclus almost 70 miles (112 kilometers) in size.<ref>http://www.planetary.org/explore/topics/near_earth_objects/asteroids_and_comets/patroclus.html</ref>

Its companion object '''Menoetius''' was discovered on September 22, 2001 by William J. Merline, Laird M. Close, N. Siegler, D. Potter, C. R. Chapman, C. Dumas, F. Menard, and D. C. Slater using the Gemini North adaptive optics telescope at Mauna Kea, Hawaii.<ref name=patroclus_johnston>{{cite web|url=http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/astmoons/am-00617.html|title=(617) Patroclus and Menoetius|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref> It's nearly as large as 617 Patroclus almost 70 miles (112 kilometers) in size.<ref name=patroclus_johnston/>

 

Patroclus and Menoetius circle each other every 4.3 days at a distance of 680 kilometers.<ref name=patroclus_johnston/>

Patroclus and Menoetius circle each other every 4.3 days at a distance of 680 kilometers.<ref>http://www.planetary.org/explore/topics/near_earth_objects/asteroids_and_comets/patroclus.html</ref>

==1036 Ganymede==

==1036 Ganymede==

[[Image:Ganymede.jpg]]<br />_{Hubble.org Photo}<br />

[[Image:Ganymede.jpg|150px]]<br />

The largest of the [[near earth objects]] '''1036 Ganymede''' has an estimated diameter of about 25 miles(41 kilometers).

The largest of the [[Near-Earth Object|near-earth objects]] '''1036 Ganymede''' has an estimated diameter of about 23.4 miles (37.7 kilometers).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=1036|title=1036 Ganymed (1924 TD)|accessdate=2018-10-05}}</ref>

==References==

==References==

==Image Copyright info==

==Image Copyright info==

[http://hubblesite.org/copyright/ Hubble Site Copyright]

[http://hubblesite.org/copyright/ Hubble Site Copyright]

{{solarsystem}}

{{solarsystem}}

[[Category:Astronomy]]

[[Category:Astronomy]]