Advances in asteroid studies

: With recent capabilities for both ground-based and space-based observations, the number of asteroids with known physical properties has been rapidly increased. Large arrays of observational data on the thermal and spectrophotometric properties of asteroids have been obtained. Space missions have made it possible to study in detail more than a dozen asteroids of various origins. Samples of asteroid soil have been delivered to Earth and are being studied in the laboratory. An overview of the main results of the study of the physical properties of asteroids will be presented