Key Facts

Overview

Chariklo is a dwarf planet with an orbit between Jupiter and Neptune. NASA JPL has not classified Chariklo as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

Chariklo orbits the sun every 22,900 days (62.70 years), coming as close as 13.14 AU and reaching as far as 18.44 AU from the sun. Chariklo is about 302.0 kilometers in diameter, making it one of the largest objects, comparable in size to Portugal.

The rotation of Chariklo has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 7.00 hours.

Chariklo's spectral type None (Tholen) / D (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain .

No Close Approaches

Chariklo's orbit is 12.20 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is an extremely wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.

Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.

Images and Observations

Chariklo's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 5, 1988. It was last officially observed on June 25, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,265 observations used to determine its orbit.

Accessibility and Exploration

This asteroid is not considered a viable target for human exploration by the NHATS study.

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 15.79 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.1678
  • Inclination: 23.39°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 300.45°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 241.99°
  • Mean Anomaly: 113.69°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 302.00000 km
  • Magnitude: 6.55
  • Albedo: 0.045
  • Spectral type (SMASS): D

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 22,900 days (62.70 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 7.50 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 18.44 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 13.14 AU
  • Rotation Period: 7.00 hours
  • Approx. Composition: .

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of Chariklo is indicated by a ◯ pink circle. Note that the object may not be in your current field of view. Use the controls below to adjust position, location, and time.