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Journeys /
AsteroidBelt While a glance at the map of the asteroid belt might suggest that there are three groups of asteroids, such is not the case - the orbits simply work out to look like it, due to the gravity of Jupiter; the groups are temporary, and most asteroids move between them on a regular basis (every two Earth years or so). Ceres is the largest asteroid, itself holding about 1/3rd of the mass of the asteroid belt, and has a gravity of 2sgu. Most other asteroids have a gravity field that is low enough to be ignored by most spacefaring races, although the Ceresians are extremely adept at using small gravity swings to travel within the belt in their larval stage. The asteroid belt is an excellent source of water ice, heavy metals, and radioactive ore whose energy can be used to produce and process crystalline antimatter. Most asteroid settlements look like agglomerations of beached spaceships, and that's generally what they are whether the beaching was intentional or not.  No asteroid is large enough to have or hold an atmosphere, although Ceres and Vesta are surrounded by a small dust cloud. |