SOLAR SYSTEM

Detailed explanation-1: -Hygiea is the largest of the class of dark C-type asteroids that are dominant in the outer asteroid belt, beyond the Kirkwood gap at 2.82 AU. Hygiea has an average diameter of 434 ± 14 km.

Detailed explanation-2: -The largest unequivocally C-type asteroid is 10 Hygiea, although the SMASS classification places the largest asteroid, 1 Ceres, here as well, because that scheme lacks a G-type.

Detailed explanation-3: -This is called the Asteroid Belt. The four largest asteroids in the belt are called Ceres, Vesta, Pallas, and Hygiea. These large asteroids make up about half of the mass of the entire asteroid belt.

Detailed explanation-4: -Hygiea’s surface is made of primitive carbonaceous material similar to the chondrite meteorites. It is the main member of the Hygiea family and contains almost all the mass in this family (well over 90%).

Detailed explanation-5: -Ceres, Pallas, and Vesta are the three largest asteroids. Even though they are much smaller than the planets (Ceres, the largest asteroid, has only 1% the mass of the Moon), they are still capable of causing changes in the orbits of Mars and the Earth.

Detailed explanation-6: -Like Ceres, Hygiea is in the main asteroid belt, which is located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.