Where did that group of minor planets come from, revolving around the Sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter? Are the minor planets related to the meteorites that strike the Earth? What role could the minor planets play in the plans for the conquest of space? These are a few of the questions discussed in this book by F. Yu. Zigel.

The .reader will also learn about the history of the study of asteroids, modern methods of investigating them, and about some of the interesting minor planets—Icarus, Hermes, Eros and others.

Translation of “Malyye Planety.”
“Nauka” Press, Moscow, 1969

You can get the book here and here

ASTEROIDS – THEIR SIGNIFICANCE TODAY 1
SOME HISTORY 4
METHODS OF STUDYING THE MINOR PLANETS 15
THE MOTION AND ORBITS OF THE ASTEROIDS 23
IMPORTANT ASTEROIDS 29
THE PHYSICAL NATURE OF THE MINOR PLANETS 38
SMALL BODIES IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM 49
ASTEROIDS IN THE LABORATORY 64
THE ENIGMA OF TEKTITES 77
WAS THERE EVER A PLANET PHAETON? 83
ASTEROIDS AND ASTRONAUTICS 99
REFERENCES 102