Decrease font size Increase font size Print this page Français

Discoveries > Asteroids XIII

ASTEROIDS : (4179) TOUTATIS



The shape of Toutatis rebuilt from radar observations
Credit : NASA


If, in their majority, asteroids orbit between Mars and Jupiter, others come across the orbit of the Earth. Fortunately, the collision probability is very low and only small pebbles fall regularly: they are shooting stars.


When Toutatis passing near Earth, radar observations have allowed us to obtain its shape.