Key Facts

Overview

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

Oileus orbits the sun every 4,410 days (12.07 years), coming as close as 4.91 AU and reaching as far as 5.62 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, Oileus is probably between 12.432 to 27.800 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the city of Philadelphia.

No Close Approaches

Oileus's orbit is 3.93 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

Oileus's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 24, 1960. It was last officially observed on March 3, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,879 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 Oileus:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 5.265 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.0672
  • Inclination: 8.16°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 153.67°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 265.68°
  • Mean Anomaly: 19.33°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~16.050 km
  • Magnitude: 11.65

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 4,410 days (12.07 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 12.99 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 5.62 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 4.91 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of Oileus 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.