Question: how are astoroids made?

Sam Lawrence answered on 11 Nov 2019:

Asteroids are primarily composed of rock and metal. At first, the stars compress atoms together to create more massive atoms and materials (rock and metal). Eventually the pressure of the star cannot be contained by its inward gravitational pull and the star explodes, releasing energy and different material. If the different clumps of material are moving too fast when they collide with other things, they will not clump together. If they are travelling at just the right speed, two smaller clumps can form a larger “asteroid”. Jupiter’s gravity collects the asteroids and keeps them in a moving loop, the asteroid belt.

Comets are a special type of asteroid, made of ice. If the comet travels too close to the Sun, they melt and we can see the long tail that we see in the sky. When comets and asteroids heat up due to friction of the Earth’s atmosphere, they light up and form what we call “shooting stars”!