Asteroidivyöhyke

The asteroid belt is a torus-shaped region in the Solar System, located roughly between the orbits of the planets Jupiter and Mars. It is populated by a diverse array of irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets. These celestial objects vary greatly in size, from small dust particles to dwarf planets like Ceres, which is the largest object in the belt. The total mass of the asteroid belt is estimated to be only about 4% of the Moon's mass. The majority of asteroids are found in the inner solar system, but their distribution is not uniform.

The formation of the asteroid belt is thought to be a result of the early solar system's formation. It is believed to be the remnants of a protoplanetary disk that never coalesced into a full planet. Jupiter's immense gravitational influence is thought to have prevented the material in this region from clumping together to form a larger body. The asteroid belt is a significant area of study for astronomers, providing insights into the early conditions of our solar system and the composition of planetary building blocks. Collisions between asteroids are common, leading to the creation of smaller fragments and dust.