Best Main Belt

Asteroid 16 Psyche is a large, metallic body residing within the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It’s classified as an M-type asteroid, believed to be composed largely of iron-nickel material resembling a planetary core. NASA's Psyche mission aims to study this unique object, providing...

4 Vesta is a large asteroid residing within the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It’s notable for being the second-most massive object in this region and possesses a differentiated internal structure – meaning it has layers of varying composition like crust, mantle, and core. The Dawn mi...

Asteroid 90 Antiope is a medium-sized main-belt asteroid notable as a binary system. Discovered in 1866, it consists of two asteroids with similar dimensions that orbit one another. This system offers scientists valuable data regarding the dynamics and evolution of close binary objects within our so...

Asteroid 87 Sylvia is a substantial space rock residing within the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It’s particularly recognized for hosting two small moons, making it the first asteroid definitively identified with such a satellite system. This p-type object, part of a binary system, of...

The asteroid 10 Hygiea is a significant member of the Hygiea family within the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It’s notable for being the fourth largest asteroid by volume and possesses a surprisingly rounded shape, as indicated by recent research. This discovery, made in 1849, raises q...

Asteroid 21 Lutetia is a medium-sized rocky body residing within the main asteroid belt. Discovered in 1852 by Hermann Goldschmidt, it’s notable as an M-type asteroid—characterized by reddish hues and water-rich compositions. The Rosetta spacecraft conducted a detailed flyby of 21 Lutetia in July 20...

52 Europa is a substantial asteroid residing within the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Discovered in 1858 by Hermann Goldschmidt, it’s notable as one of the largest known C-type asteroids. These asteroids are characterized by their dark composition and icy nature. It presents scientifi...

24 Themis is a substantial main-belt asteroid within the Themis family. Discovered in 1853, it’s notable as the first asteroid confirmed to possess water ice on its surface. This C-type asteroid offers valuable insights into the composition and evolution of early solar system objects. Scientists stu...

Largest S-type asteroid in the main belt, discovered by Annibale de Gasparis in 1851 and named after the Greek goddess of law and order; it heads its own asteroid family.

M-type asteroid discovered by John Russell Hind in 1852, named after the Greek Muse of epic poetry, and known to have a moon designated Linus discovered in 2001.

Second-largest asteroid in the main belt, discovered by Heinrich Olbers in 1802, notable for its unusually high orbital inclination of about 34 degrees.

65 Cybele is a very large main-belt asteroid discovered in 1861 by Ernst Tempel, serving as the namesake for the Cybele group of asteroids.

Large C-type main-belt asteroid discovered by J.C. Watson in 1867, named after the Roman goddess of wisdom; two small moons, Aegis and Gorgoneion, were found in 2009.

Main-belt asteroid discovered by Hermann Goldschmidt in 1857, notable as one of the first asteroids confirmed to have a satellite, Petit-Prince, found in 1998.

88 Thisbe is one of the largest main-belt asteroids, discovered in 1866 by German-American astronomer Christian Heinrich Friedrich Peters at Clinton, New York.

A main-belt asteroid discovered by Paul and Prosper Henry in 1875 at Paris Observatory, named after a character in François-René de Chateaubriand's 1801 novel Atala.

64 Angelina is a rare, high-albedo E-type asteroid discovered in 1861 by German astronomer Ernst Tempel, who observed it from Marseille, France.

S-type asteroid discovered by Annibale de Gasparis in 1852, named after the ancient Greek name for Marseille and the namesake of the prominent Massalia asteroid family.

A main-belt asteroid discovered by Paul and Prosper Henry in 1875 and named after Deianira, the wife of Heracles whose accidental gift of a poisoned robe caused his death.

S-type asteroid discovered by Annibale de Gasparis in 1850, named after a Siren of Greek mythology also regarded as a legendary founder of the city of Naples.

Large C-type outer main-belt asteroid discovered by James Ferguson in 1854 and named after Euphrosyne, one of the three Graces of Greek mythology.

S-type asteroid discovered by John Russell Hind in 1852, named after the Greek Muse of tragedy and one of the brighter larger bodies in the inner main belt.

141 Lumen is a dark C-type asteroid from the outer regions of the asteroid belt, discovered by French astronomer Paul Henry in 1875 and named after a unit of luminous flux.

S-type asteroid discovered by Jean Chacornac in 1853, named after the ancient Greek city Phocaea and the namesake of the Phocaea asteroid family in the inner belt.

C-type asteroid discovered by Annibale de Gasparis in 1850, named after a Roman water nymph and one of the larger carbonaceous asteroids in the middle main belt.

Third asteroid ever discovered, found by Karl Ludwig Harding in 1804 and briefly considered a planet before the asteroid category was formally established.

129 Antigone is a massive M-type asteroid discovered in 1873 by Christian Heinrich Friedrich Peters, noted for its high density and metallic composition rich in iron and nickel.

C-type asteroid discovered by John Russell Hind in 1852, named after the Roman goddess of luck and fortune, and belonging to the outer region of the main belt.

Main-belt asteroid discovered by J.C. Watson in 1868, notable as the 100th numbered minor planet, named after Hecate, the Greek goddess of magic and crossroads.