What are asteroids made of?

Asteroid composition varies based on the asteroid's origin. An asteroid can contain rock, metal, clay, silicate, nickel, iron and water. All asteroids are covered in regolith, which is a rocky rubble. Regolith is commonly called space dust.

There are four asteroid classes, based on their location and composition. C-type asteroids are located around the outer areas of the main asteroid belt. They are dark and contain carbon. S-type asteroids are made up primarily of stone and iron. They are located in the main asteroid belt's inner section. D-type asteroids, located near Jupiter, are dark and contain carbon. V-type asteroids, located between Jupiter's and Uranus' orbits, are composed of eruptive substances.