Key Facts

  • Categorized as a Jupiter Trojan
  • Comparable in size to the city of Philadelphia (19.21 km diameter)
  • Not a Near Earth Object
  • Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
  • See orbit simulation

Overview

Katosawao is a large asteroid that shares Jupiter's orbit around the sun. NASA JPL has not classified Katosawao as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

Katosawao orbits the sun every 4,440 days (12.16 years), coming as close as 4.97 AU and reaching as far as 5.60 AU from the sun. Katosawao is about 19.2 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the city of Philadelphia.

No Close Approaches

Katosawao's orbit is 4.00 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

Katosawao's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 11, 1977. It was last officially observed on Jan. 24, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 948 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 Katosawao:

References

Search

   or view a random object

Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 5.288 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.0592
  • Inclination: 6.47°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 223.22°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 258.91°
  • Mean Anomaly: 337.03°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 19.21200 km
  • Magnitude: 12.42
  • Albedo: 0.069

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 4,440 days (12.16 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 12.96 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 5.60 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 4.97 AU

Map Comparison

Click to load map

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of Katosawao 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.