a small rocky body orbiting the sun. Large numbers of these, ranging in size from nearly 600 miles (1,000 km) across (Ceres) to dust particles, are found (as the asteroid belt) especially between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, though some have more eccentric orbits, and a few pass close to the earth or enter the atmosphere as meteors.
Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the Sun. Most of them can be found in the main asteroid belt, which is a region between the orbit of Mars and Jupiter.
Fun fact: Asteroids are sometimes called minor planets.
