Which space object is a large, irregularly shaped body that orbits the Sun?

• A. Meteor
• B. Comet
• C. Asteroid
• D. Planet

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is how to tell different solar-system objects apart by their shape and what they do in space. An object that is large, irregularly shaped, and orbits the Sun is an asteroid. Asteroids are mostly rocky pieces left over from the early solar system, and their gravity isn’t strong enough to mold them into perfect spheres, so they tend to have uneven, jagged shapes. They’re much smaller than planets and aren’t as icy or as large as comets, and they don’t show a coma or tail. By contrast, meteors are the bright streaks we see in Earth's atmosphere caused by space debris burning up, comets have icy nuclei and develop tails when they get near the Sun, and planets are large enough to be mostly spherical due to gravity.