Asteroids, also called minor planets, are remnant planetesimals that date from the formation of the solar system. Hence, they provide a window into the early solar system environment. Subsequent dynamical and collisional evolution has made their study quite difficult and therefore very interesting. In the pages linked below are brief descriptions of several interesting aspects of asteroid study. This list, and the accompanying text and graphics, is biased by my own interests (dynamics) and is far from complete.

• Dynamical categories
• Distributions
• Taxonomy
• Subfields
• A few mean-motion resonance locations
• An online asteroid orbital elements database. (This is really quite nifty.)

Clark R. Chapman has written an illuminating biographical essay detailing his life as an astronomer and asteroidal researcher.