Other Objects in the Solar System

Images courtesy of NASA

The objects that you explored in this topic can be some of the smallest in the Solar System, but also the most plentiful. As the IAU continues to make strides in classification, and as astronomers continue to find new celestial objects, more classifications may be found. In 2006, dwarf planets were first classified, and today there are five named dwarf planets with the potential for countless more. Asteroids, meteors, and comets are also plentiful in the solar system. Meteorites and comets can make a splendid show for sky watchers as they pass through Earth's atmosphere, but a collision with an asteroid, though incredibly rare, would have devastating planetary consequences.