Asteroids, Comets & Meteors
Our solar system's small bodies pack outsized intrigue
Asteroids
Rocky leftovers from planet formation.
Comets
Cosmic snowballs of gas and dust.
Meteors
AKA "shooting stars," the spectacle of debris falling and burning through the atmosphere.
Planetary Defense
Protect Earth from impacts.
Overview
Asteroids, comets, and meteoroids are chunks of rock, ice, and metal left over from the formation of our solar system about 4.6 billion years ago.
NASA’s DART Mission Changed Orbit of Asteroid Didymos Around Sun
New research reveals that when NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft intentionally impacted the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos in September…
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Interstellar Comet, Passing Through the Solar System
Only the third known object to venture into our solar system from interstellar space, Comet 3I/ATLAS poses no threat to Earth, but is taking a tour past our celestial neighbors. NASA has been studying the icy visitor with space telescopes including Hubble, Webb, and SPHEREx. The comet passed Mars on Oct. 3, continued its trajectory to pass behind the Sun in late October, and will venture past Jupiter in March 2026, on its way out of our solar system.
Learn More About Comet 3I/ATLAS
Eyes on Asteroids
Asteroid and Comet Resources
Explore this page for a curated collection of resources, including activities that can be done at home, as well as videos and animations, images, handouts, and online interactives. This resource package is suitable for educators, students, and anyone interested in learning more about asteroids and comets!
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