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Asteroid belt is situated between
Explanation
The asteroid belt, often referred to as the 'main belt', is a vast region in the solar system situated between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter [2]. This zone lies approximately 2.3 to 3.3 AU from the Sun and contains millions of rocky and metallic remnants from the early formation of the solar system [1]. These planetoids failed to coalesce into a single large planet primarily due to the intense gravitational interference and tidal forces exerted by Jupiter [2]. While asteroids are scattered throughout the solar system, including near-Earth space, the highest density of these rocky bodies is found within this specific orbital gap. The belt is composed of various spectral types, including carbonaceous (C-type) and silicaceous (S-type) asteroids, with the dwarf planet Ceres being its largest member.
Sources
- [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 2: The Solar System > Asteroid Belt > p. 32
- [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 2: The Solar System > UPSC Prelims 2011] What is difference between asteroids and comets? > p. 36