Space, from Cecere to Psyche: the largest asteroids in the solar system. PHOTO

The asteroids, also sometimes called small planets or planetoids, are small celestial bodies, generally rocky and devoid of spherical shape. They are mostly found in the “main band”. Very small asteroids (usually fragments resulting from collisions) are called “meteoroids“. When an asteroid is composed mostly of ice it is called comet

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In February 2022 it was revealed that the asteroid Psyche (16 Psyche), would have the largest gold reserve known, equal to 10 thousand quadrillion dollars. NASA would be planning, for 2026, a mission to reach it. The asteroid is the thirteenth largest among those known and located within the orbit of Neptune. It has an approximate diameter between 200 and 250 km

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But what are the largest asteroids in the solar system? In the first place there is Cecere (1 Ceres), discovered in 1801 by Giuseppe Piazzi (from the astronomical observatory of Palermo). Given its size (diameter between 900 and 1000 km) for decades it was considered a planet, now it is called a “dwarf planet”

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The second largest asteroid is Pallas (2 Pallas), discovered in 1802 by Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers. Its diameter is approximately 512–545 km. The surface of Pallas is made up of silicates and has a very inclined orbit with a remarkable eccentricity

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Always Olbers discovered in 1807 Vesta (4 Vesta), with an average diameter of 525 km. Its size and bright surface make Vesta the brightest asteroid ever and sometimes the only one visible to the naked eye from Earth. Thanks to some fragments of meteorites it was also possible to study rock samples of this asteroid

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To follow there is Hygieia (10 Hygiea), fourth in order of magnitude, with an average diameter greater than 400 km. It was discovered in 1849 by Annibale de Gasparis from the Capodimonte observatory in Naples. According to recent observations, some scientists advance the hypothesis that Hygieia may have the characteristics to be classified among the dwarf planets (in the photo a 3D simulation of Hygieia’s NASA)

Davida (511 Davida) has an average diameter of about 326.06 km. It is an asteroid discovered in 1903 by Raymond Smith Dugan, it is of type C, therefore characterized by a very dark surface and composition of carbonated rocks. It has a semi-oblong shape with at least two flat facets (in the photo a 3D version of the asteroid by NASA)

Interamnia (704 Interamnia) instead has an average diameter of about 316.62 km. It was discovered in 1910 by Vincenzo Cerulli from the Teramo Astronomical Observatory. The name is dedicated to the Abruzzo city, with reference to its ancient Latin name

Europe (52 Europa) not to be confused with the homonymous moon of Jupiter, has a diameter of about 300 kilometers. It has a very dark surface and its discovery is due to Hermann Mayer Salomon, who observed it in 1858 from the astronomical observatory in Paris (in the photo a 3D simulation of NASA)

Hector (624 Hektor) is instead a “Trojan asteroid of Jupiter” of type D. It has an average diameter of about 225 km. It has a dark reddish surface. It was discovered in 1907 by August Kopff and is dedicated to the Trojan hero Hector

Discovered by Karl Ludwig Harding in 1804, Juno (3 Juno) owes its name to the Roman goddess. It has an irregular shape and an average diameter of 233.92 km. Some observations have made it possible to detect on the surface a geologically recent impact crater with a diameter greater than a hundred kilometers

The 10th largest asteroid is Silvia (87 Sylvia) discovered in 1866 by Norman Robert Pogson. The name is a tribute to Rhea Silvia, mother of Romulus and Remus. It is considered very interesting because it is the first known asteroid to have more than one satellite. In fact, so far two moons have been discovered: Romulus and Remus, but it is believed that there may be others of smaller size