Key Facts

Overview

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

Sharon orbits the sun every 2,860 days (7.83 years), coming as close as 3.12 AU and reaching as far as 4.76 AU from the sun. Sharon is about 46.0 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the U.S. state of Rhode Island.

The rotation of Sharon has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 11.48 hours.

No Close Approaches

Sharon's orbit is 2.13 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

Sharon's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 17, 1960. It was last officially observed on July 4, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 3,060 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 Sharon:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 3.939 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.2073
  • Inclination: 4.97°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 311.03°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 79.9°
  • Mean Anomaly: 347.93°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 46.03200 km
  • Magnitude: 10.66
  • Albedo: 0.058

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 2,860 days (7.83 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 14.98 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 4.76 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 3.12 AU
  • Rotation Period: 11.48 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of Sharon 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.