What are Asteroids?

• A. Ice bodies beyond Neptune
• B. Rocky metallic objects that orbit the sun but are too small to be considered planets
• C. Small satellites around planets
• D. Comets with tails

Answer: (B)

Asteroids are small rocky and sometimes metallic bodies that orbit the Sun and are too small to be considered planets. They’re mostly found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, remnants from the early solar system that never formed into a planet. This makes the description of rocky metallic objects that orbit the Sun and are too small to be planets the best fit. In contrast, comets are icy and develop tails when near the Sun, moons are small satellites that orbit planets, and objects beyond Neptune that are icy are typically trans-Neptunian objects, not asteroids.