Key Facts

  • Categorized as a Main-belt Asteroid
  • Comparable in size to the U.S. state of Rhode Island (58.68 km diameter)
  • Not a Near Earth Object
  • Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
  • See orbit simulation

Overview

Caltech is a large asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified Caltech as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

Caltech orbits the sun every 2,060 days (5.64 years), coming as close as 2.84 AU and reaching as far as 3.50 AU from the sun. Caltech is about 58.7 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the U.S. state of Rhode Island.

The rotation of Caltech has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 12.99 hours.

Caltech's spectral type None (Tholen) / Xc (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain iron, nickel, cobalt, and platinum.

No Close Approaches

Caltech's orbit is 1.94 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

Caltech's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 29, 1957. It was last officially observed on July 4, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 3,400 observations used to determine its orbit.

Accessibility and Exploration

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

Similar Objects

These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of Caltech:

References

Search

   or view a random object

Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 3.168 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.1038
  • Inclination: 30.67°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 84.39°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 297.28°
  • Mean Anomaly: 167.48°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 58.67800 km
  • Magnitude: 10.24
  • Albedo: 0.051
  • Spectral type (SMASS): Xc

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 2,060 days (5.64 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 16.73 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.50 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 2.84 AU
  • Rotation Period: 12.99 hours
  • Approx. Composition: iron, nickel, cobalt, and platinum.

Map Comparison

Click to load map

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of Caltech 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.