asteroid belt n.
the toroidal region of space around a star in which most asteroid orbits occur
Science
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1867
In view of the dimensions of the rings which formed the planets…, we cannot suppose that a single ring occupied all the space within the asteroid belt.
Origin of Stars xxxiii. 292 -
1931
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Manly Wade Wellman
bibliography
If it’s so dangerous, why couldn’t we fly over the asteroid belt?
Disc-Men of Jupiter in Wonder Stories Sept. 533/2
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1931
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Manly Wade Wellman
bibliography
The asteroid belt was many millions of miles across, but they hoped to encounter very few of the spinning particles at this time.
Disc-Men of Jupiter in Wonder Stories Sept. 534/1
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1932
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Clifford D. Simak
bibliography
The two tiny slabs of rock, revolving about each other, made up a part of the asteroid belt, all that remained of a mythical planet between Mars and Jupiter (which must have disrupted into the thousands of tiny fragments many millions of years before).
Asteroid of Gold in Wonder Stories Nov. 515/1
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1950
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Raymond Z. Gallun
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Beyond Mars, both newer and older, lies the asteroid belt—wreckage of a world that exploded, but that was peopled once, too. It is a wonderful, terrible region.
Step Farther Out in Super Science Stories Mar. -
1960
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James Blish
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None of these bodies are livable. Then comes the asteroid belt, followed by four small dense planets, two of which appear to be inhabitable.
…And All the Stars a Stage in Amazing Stories 128/1 -
1978
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Robert Lovell
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Astronomers have discovered that about 10% of the asteroids, including many of the larger ones near the inner part of the asteroid belt, are stony-iron types.
Asteroid Mining in Galileo Sept. 13/1 -
1999
Michael Jan Friedman
bibliography
The most remarkable thing we encountered was an asteroid belt.
My Brother’s Keeper . ii. 19
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2001 Locus June 33/2
Martin Humphries presents rival Dan Randolph a solution…that will also help Earth: build a fusion rocket so it is economically feasible to mine the Asteroid Belt for the energy the Earth needs.
Research requirements
antedating 1867
Research History
Mike Christie submitted a 1932 cite from Clifford Simak's "The Asteroid of Gold", based on a suggestion from Brian Ameringen.Cory Panshin submitted a cite from a 1947 reprint of Manly Wade Wellman's "The Disc-Men of Jupiter"; Jeff Prucher verified the cite in the 1931 original magazine appearance.
Bill Mullins submitted a cite from a science news column "Mechanical and Physical Astronomy" in the journal "The Manufacturer and Builder" for March 1877.
Earliest cite in OED2: 1939; OED3 now shows an 1867 example.
Last modified 2021-01-08 11:51:41
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entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries
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