Pronunciation: [ˈastəɹˌɔ͡ɪdz] (IPA) 
The word "Asteroids" is spelled with the use of the IPA phonetic transcription as /ˈæstərɔɪdz/. The first syllable is pronounced as "as" with the short "a" vowel sound, followed by "t" and "er" with the schwa sound as in "fern". The ending "-oids" is pronounced with the long "oi" diphthong and the voiced "z" sound. The word refers to small, rocky celestial bodies that orbit around the sun in our solar system.
Asteroids refer to small rocky celestial bodies that orbit the Sun, primarily found within the asteroid belt, a region situated between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. These objects are remnants from the early formation of our solar system, representing rocky fragments that failed to coalesce into a planet.
Typically composed of various minerals, metals, and rocky materials, asteroids can range in size from a few meters to hundreds of kilometers in diameter. Their shapes can vary greatly, with most asteroids being irregularly shaped due to their limited gravitationally cohesive force.
Asteroids are named after the Greek word "aster," meaning star-like, as they resemble stars when viewed through early telescopes due to their small size and distant appearance. They are classified into different types based on their composition, such as carbonaceous, silicate, or metallic.
The study of asteroids, known as asteroid science or asteroid astronomy, explores various aspects of these celestial bodies, including their orbital characteristics, composition, structure, and potential impact hazards to Earth. Scientists have also identified thousands of asteroids that approach Earth's orbit, known as near-Earth asteroids. These objects have sparked interest as potential targets for future robotic exploration or manned missions, primarily for scientific research or mining purposes. Additionally, the study of asteroids enhances our understanding of the formation and evolution of the solar system.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "asteroids" originates from the combination of two Greek words. "Aster" means "star", and "eidos" means "form" or "shape". Therefore, "asteroids" literally translates to "star-shaped" or "star-like" objects. This is a fitting name for these celestial bodies as they often appear as small, rocky objects resembling stars when viewed from Earth.
