Sometimes called planetoids or minor planets, these rocky objects in space range from boulder-sized to 600 miles in diameter. They are found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. One estimation is about 7,000. According to Webster's, aster means star and eides means like. It was Ceres.
Astronomers say they are mainly made of iron and stony materials.
Ceres is almost 580 miles in diameter and Pallas is about 330. Ceres is the largest known minor planet. There are believed to be millions of asteroids the size of boulders in the solar system. Smaller ones, maybe a half-mile in diameter, may do so within the next 1,000,000 years. It is doubtful that the larger ones would, however.