×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Thursday
07
May 2026
weather symbol
Athens 16°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> World

What’s the smallest known asteroid? What about the largest?

Not all asteroids are planet killers

Newsroom March 9 07:25

Δείτε περισσότερα άρθρα μας στα αποτελέσματα αναζήτησης

Add Protothema.gr on Google

Asteroids constantly zoom around our solar system and sometimes smash into planets, including Earth. As such, in the name of planetary defense NASA conducted a test, dubbed DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test), to deflect a space rock like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs (or the one Bruce Willis blew up at the end of the movie Armageddon).

>Related articles

Videos & photos from the historic return of the Artemis II mission from the Moon: The path opens for permanent human presence in space

“I’m amazed”: Artemis II astronauts saw meteors striking the Moon

UFO expert Nick Pope dies at 60

Not all asteroids are planet killers, however. While some are monster-size, others are quite tiny. So, what are the largest and smallest asteroids on record in the solar system?

In short, the largest asteroid in the solar system is Ceres, which at nearly 590 miles (950 kilometers) across is about one-quarter the size of the moon. The smallest asteroid is more difficult to pin down; the smallest asteroid officially recognized by NASA (opens in new tab), known as asteroid 2015 TC25, is 6 feet (2 meters) across. Some definitions purport that asteroids must be at least 3 feet (1 m) across(opens in new tab), but not all scientists agree about this size limitation.

more at livescience.com

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#NASA asteroids#space#stars#universe
> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Trump issues new ultimatum: Gives Iran one week to reach a deal

May 6, 2026

Jordan: Abdullah, Mitsotakis and Christodoulides express concern over instability and escalation of the crisis

May 6, 2026

May 2, 1919: The Greek Army lands in Smyrna, Venizelos’ plans, the gunfire and the clashes

May 6, 2026

New twist in the thriller of the 11 missing scientists: “They hit me with a classified weapon after the UFO revelations”

May 6, 2026

Analysis: Why Trump wants to end the war with Iran “here and now”, the Chinese factor behind the pressure for a deal

May 6, 2026

The film “Eva” (1953) by Greece’s first female director Maria Plyta at the Cannes Film Festival

May 6, 2026

Pierakakis: Greece to repay €6.9 billion of debt in June

May 6, 2026

The American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has left the Mediterranean

May 6, 2026
All News

> Greece

In reverence, the emotional deposition in Jerusalem, see photos & video

The Holy Temple of the Resurrection opened after many days due to the war between Israel and Iran

April 10, 2026

In the final stretch for the accreditation of joint master’s degrees: Aiming for their launch in the coming academic year

April 10, 2026

Schedule for Epitaph Procession today (10/4)

April 10, 2026

Perfect weather for Easter excursions, according to Tsatrafyllia’s forecast

April 10, 2026

Easter in Greece: The customs that continue in Greek tradition – From Nafpaktos to Corfu

April 10, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα