Key Facts

Overview

Gonggong is a dwarf planet whose orbit extends beyond the orbit of Neptune. NASA JPL has not classified Gonggong as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

Gonggong orbits the sun every 201,000 days (550.31 years), coming as close as 33.70 AU and reaching as far as 100.68 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, Gonggong is probably between 1128.639 to 2523.713 kilometers in diameter, making it the largest asteroid/dwarf planet, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. state of Alaska.

The rotation of Gonggong has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 22.40 hours.

No Close Approaches

Gonggong's orbit is 32.70 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

Gonggong's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 19, 1985. It was last officially observed on Oct. 17, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 514 observations used to determine its orbit.

Accessibility and Exploration

This asteroid is not considered a viable target for human exploration by the NHATS study.

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 67.19 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.4985
  • Inclination: 30.68°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 336.85°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 207.09°
  • Mean Anomaly: 109.56°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~1457.066 km
  • Magnitude: 1.86

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 201,000 days (550.31 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 3.64 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 100.68 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 33.70 AU
  • Rotation Period: 22.40 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of Gonggong 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.