ASTEROIDS
The asteroids also known as minor planets, are true planets even though they are small. They orbit the Sun, not other bodies the way moons do.
Asteroids are small and made up of rocks, metals, or both. Their shape has no rules meaning that they can be shaped like anything(one is shaped like a dog bone). A few are large however. Here are the four largest and their diameter, Ceres with a diameter of 948 kilometers, Pallas with a diameter of 628 kilometers, Vesta with a diameter of 548 kilometers, and Hygiea with a diameter of 450 kilometers.
Another asteroid is 433 Eros. A spacecraft from Earth called NEAR-Shoemaker visited 433 Eros. The following is a brief account of the NEAR space craft. 1. On February 17, 1996 NASA launches NEAR-Shoemaker from Cape Canaveral. 2. On June 27, 1997 NEAR photographs the asteroid Mathilde while somehow not getting a ticket for doing 22,000 (which is 21,935 miles per hour over the speed limit, at least in Georgia). 3. On January 23, 1998 NEAR uses Earth as a slingshot. 4. On December 21 1998 NEAR loses its mind(or its computer malfunctions whatever you prefer) and it gets 2,000 miles off course. 5. On December 23 1998 NEAR regains control and gets back on course. 6. On February 14, 2000 NEAR gets in Eros�s orbit. 7. On February 11, 2001 Near starts tailgating Eros.. 8. On February 12 2001 NEAR lands on Eros. This made history since it�s the first time humans have landed something on an asteroid.
Some asteroids come close to Earth. Right now, asteroid 2001 GP2 is only 2 million miles away, and on July 25th, asteroid 2000 PH5 will come within 1.2 million miles of Earth.
433 Eros as seen by a low flying spacecraft (JHUAPL- NEAR image 20000825)
