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Asteroids are also called planetoids or minor planets. The word Asteroid is most commonly used in science to describe a group of relatively tiny celestial objects that orbit the sun. Asteroid (Greek for "star-like") is the word used most in the English literature for minor planets, which has been the term preferred by the International Astronomical Union; some other languages prefer planetoid (Greek: "planet-like"), because it more accurately describes what they are. In late August 2006, the IAU introduced the term "small solar system bodies" (SSSBs), which includes most objects thus far classified as minor planets, as well as comets. At the same time they introduced the term dwarf planet for the largest minor planets. This article deals specifically with the minor planets that orbit in the inner solar system (roughly up to the orbit of Jupiter).

The asteroid belt is the region of the Solar System located roughly between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter where 98.5% of the known minor planet orbits can be found Asteroids, or minor planets, are small celestial bodies composed of rock, ice, and some metal that orbit the Sun. This region is termed the main belt when contrasted with other concentrations of minor planets, since these may also be termed asteroid belts.

An asteroid moon is an asteroid that orbits another asteroid as its natural satellite. It is thought that many asteroids may possess moons, in some cases quite substantial in size. Discoveries of asteroid moons (and binary objects, in general) are very important because the determination of their orbits provides estimates (or at least constraints) on their density and mass allowing an insight into their physical properties, impossible otherwise.