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Why are asteroids present between Mars and Jupiter?

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Jupiter is a bad neighbor. Jupiter is massive and thus exerts gravitational influence on everything in its neighborhood. Within the asteroid belt, there are gaps known as Kirkwood gaps. read more

Scientists claimed that there was once a planet between Mars and jupiter but it being too close to Jupiter collapsed under it's gravity thus forming the astroid belt. read more

up vote 10 down vote favorite I'm curious about why the asteroid belt wasn't pulled by Mars's or Jupiter's gravity or formed into either moons or planets. read more

The gravitational influence of Jupiter is why the asteroids cannot coalesce into planet. IF a planet DID form where the asteroid belt is now. Jupiter's gravitational stresses and strains tore that planet apart and over billions years much of the mass of that planet may may have been ejected out of the Solar System entirely or possibly that mass i become part of the Kuiper belt or possibly the Oort cloud. read more

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