C-type asteroid
Sign in to saveAlso known as C-class asteroid, C class, C type
asteroid spectral type; most common variety, forming around 75% of known asteroids
~4 min read
Encyclopedic overview
253 Mathilde, a C-type asteroid
C-type (carbonaceous /ˌkɑːrbəˈneɪʃəs/) asteroids are the most common variety, forming around 75% of known asteroids. They are volatile-rich and distinguished by a very low albedo because their composition includes a large amount of carbon, in addition to rocks and minerals. They have an average density of about 1.7 g/cm.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “C-type asteroid” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.