Key Facts

Overview

Heidelberga is a large asteroid that orbits between Mars and Jupiter in the outer reaches of the main asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified Heidelberga as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

Heidelberga orbits the sun every 2,110 days (5.78 years), coming as close as 2.73 AU and reaching as far as 3.70 AU from the sun. Heidelberga is about 75.7 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the U.S. state of Delaware.

The rotation of Heidelberga has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 6.74 hours.

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

No Close Approaches

Heidelberga's orbit is 1.75 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

Heidelberga's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 4, 1892. It was last officially observed on June 14, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 10,164 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 Heidelberga:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 3.216 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.1513
  • Inclination: 8.57°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 344.21°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 70.82°
  • Mean Anomaly: 89.64°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 75.72000 km
  • Magnitude: 8.98
  • Albedo: 0.1068
  • Spectral type (Tholen): M

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 2,110 days (5.78 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 16.58 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.70 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 2.73 AU
  • Rotation Period: 6.74 hours
  • Approx. Composition: iron, nickel, and cobalt.

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of Heidelberga 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.