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Asteroid 2 Pallas Position Calculator
Compute the position of Asteroid 2 Pallas for any date and time between 1 January 1600 and 30 December 2499 and visualize the results on an interactive sky map.
Asteroid 2 Pallas
Asteroid 2 Pallas is in the constellation of
Serpens,
at a distance of
View interactive star map
2 Pallas is a large asteroid located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It was discovered by German astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers on March 28, 1802 and is one of the largest asteroids in the solar system, with a diameter of approximately 544 kilometers. It has a highly irregular shape, with a large impact crater on one side that suggests it may have experienced a significant collision in its past. 2 Pallas has a relatively high density compared to other asteroids, indicating that it may be composed of a significant amount of metal or have a differentiated interior. It has a rotation period of about 7.8 hours and an orbital period of 4.6 Earth years. Because of its irregular shape and complex surface features, 2 Pallas is considered a challenging target for spacecraft missions. However, observations from Earth-based telescopes and the Hubble Space Telescope have provided valuable insights into its geology, composition, and history.
Celestial Coordinates
Apparent
J2000
Additional Information
Rise and Set Times
Today's rise, transit and set times of Asteroid 2 Pallas from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- 2 Pallas is above the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Right now it is placed in the East direction at an altitude of 23.00° above the horizon.
- Given its current magnitude, 2 Pallas is visible with the help of a binocular with a 60mm aperture, might require a small telescope.
- Go to interactive sky chart
If you need to access this information frequently for your observations, you can create a simple customized Quick Access page, so that you can easily bookmark it in your browser favorites or add a shortcut to your mobile phones' home screen.
Finder Charts
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Asteroid 2 Pallas is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Asteroid 2 Pallas?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Asteroid 2 Pallas in the sky and additional links to sky charts.
Distance from Earth
The distance of Asteroid 2 Pallas from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Asteroid 2 Pallas from Earth as a function of time. In the chart the distance data is measured in Astronomical Units and sampled with an interval of 1 day.
The value of the reported distance might be somewhat inaccurate around the times of closest approach for objects passing extremely close to Earth. The value of the distance of 2 Pallas from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Closest Approach
Between 1 January 1600 and 30 December 2499, the closest approach of Asteroid 2 Pallas to Earth happens on Sat Feb 16 1608 at a distance of 1.193832 Astronomical Units, or 178,594,670 kilometers:
NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Light Curve
The following chart is the predicted light curve (visual magnitude as a function of time) of Asteroid 2 Pallas, according to the most recent ephemerides data. Magnitude data is sampled with a 2 days interval and there might be inaccuracies for objects changing brightness very rapidly during the course of a few days. For comets there could be large discrepancies between the observed and predicted brightness because of their highly dynamic behaviour.
Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of Asteroid 2 Pallas at epoch 24 February 2023 00:00 UTC (JD: 2460000.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 0.23008437 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 34.92703056° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 2.13238273 AU 318,999,917 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q |
3.40688064 AU 509,662,090 km |
| Semi-major axis | a |
2.76963168 AU 414,331,003 km |
| Orbital period | period |
4.6094 years 1,683.5711 days |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2023-Mar-07 01:22:32 2,460,010.5573 JD |
| Next perihelion transit | 2027-Oct-15 15:04 2,461,694.1284 JD |
|
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 310.86479846644° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 172.918132705° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 357.84943175674° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.21383119°/day |
Orbit Visualization
View Asteroid 2 Pallas in the 3D Solar System Simulator
Physical Data
The following shows the known values of the most important physical parameters of Asteroid 2 Pallas. Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Physical Parameter | Value | Relative to Earth |
|---|---|---|
| Diameter | 545 km | 0.0428 |
| Sideral Rotation | 7.8132 hours | 0.3264 |
| Absolute Magnitude | 4.13 | |
| Geometric Albedo | 0.1587 |
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Asteroid 2 Pallas computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Apparent celestial coordinates are provided.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Jul 21 | 15h 54m 48s | +22° 00’ 20” | 9.67 | Serpens |
| 2024 Jul 22 | 15h 54m 51s | +21° 50’ 09” | 9.68 | Serpens |
| 2024 Jul 23 | 15h 54m 56s | +21° 39’ 52” | 9.70 | Serpens |
| 2024 Jul 24 | 15h 55m 02s | +21° 29’ 30” | 9.71 | Serpens |
| 2024 Jul 25 | 15h 55m 08s | +21° 19’ 04” | 9.72 | Serpens |
| 2024 Jul 26 | 15h 55m 17s | +21° 08’ 34” | 9.73 | Serpens |
| 2024 Jul 27 | 15h 55m 26s | +20° 58’ 01” | 9.74 | Serpens |
| 2024 Jul 28 | 15h 55m 37s | +20° 47’ 22” | 9.75 | Serpens |
| 2024 Jul 29 | 15h 55m 49s | +20° 36’ 41” | 9.77 | Serpens |
| 2024 Jul 30 | 15h 56m 02s | +20° 25’ 57” | 9.78 | Serpens |
| 2024 Jul 31 | 15h 56m 16s | +20° 15’ 09” | 9.79 | Serpens |
| 2024 Aug 01 | 15h 56m 31s | +20° 04’ 19” | 9.80 | Serpens |
| 2024 Aug 02 | 15h 56m 48s | +19° 53’ 26” | 9.81 | Serpens |
| 2024 Aug 03 | 15h 57m 05s | +19° 42’ 31” | 9.82 | Serpens |
Additional Resources
- Position and finder charts (see also Where is Asteroid 2 Pallas?)
- Distance from Earth (see also How far is Asteroid 2 Pallas from Earth?)
- When does Asteroid 2 Pallas rise and set?
- Brightness (see also How bright is Asteroid 2 Pallas?)
- Orbital elements. Detailed information about Asteroid 2 Pallas orbital parameters.
- Interactive orbit visualization. 3d visualization showing the orbit of Asteroid 2 Pallas with respect to the major Solar System objects.
- Physical data. Detailed information about physical properties of Asteroid 2 Pallas, such as mass and geometric properties.
- 15 days ephemerides. Table showing celestial coordinates and magnitude of Asteroid 2 Pallas for the past and next 7 days.
- Interactive sky chart. An online planetarium application that shows where to locate Asteroid 2 Pallas in the sky from your location.
- Live position tracker. A high precision sky chart that uses real deep sky imagery to help locate Asteroid 2 Pallas with your telescope or on your astrophotographies.