Where do asteroids come from?

Most asteroids originate from a large area between the planets Mars and Jupiter. This area is most commonly referred to as the asteroid belt and contains more than 200 large asteroids. Some asteroids may originate from other regions in space.

Asteroids are actually rocks that are much smaller in size when compared to the planets. Just like most objects in space, asteroids revolve around the sun. Scientists have carried out research that has proven that asteroids have hit the planet Earth in the past and more are likely to collide with Earth in the future. Scientists believe that most asteroids have craters and dust-covered surfaces.