Trans-Neptunian object

Taowu

471325 Taowu (2011 KT19)

Where is it now

Distance from Sun: 30.372 AU
True anomaly: 82.57°
Distance from Earth: 31.07 AU
As of: 15 October 2026

Two-body Kepler propagation — accurate to ~0.1% for major planets over decades, less so for highly-perturbed bodies. Use JPL Horizons for high precision.

Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. Taowu is 31.07 AU from Earth today (4.3 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension: 15h 34m 02s
Declination: +22° 36′ 25″
Constellation: Serpens
Distance from Earth: 31.07 AU
Elongation from the Sun: 44.64° — near the Sun — look low at dusk or dawn

Favours the northern hemisphere; low or below the horizon from far south.

From your location

See how high it is right now, whether it is up after civil twilight, and when it rises and sets where you are.

Paste a location

How do I find my coordinates?

Google Maps on a computer

Right-click the spot where you'll be observing.
The first line of the menu is the coordinates, e.g. 51.50722, -0.12758 — click it and they're copied.
Paste them above.

Google Maps on a phone

Press and hold the spot to drop a pin.
The coordinates appear in the search bar (or on the pin's card) — tap to copy, then paste above.

A full Google Maps link works too, but the short maps.app.goo.gl share links don't carry coordinates — copy the numbers instead. We round to about a kilometre; that's all the sky calculation needs.

Know your what3words address? Paste it, e.g. ///filled.count.soap. This is optional — the three words are sent to what3words to convert them, and we don't store the address or the result.

Your location stays in your browser and is sent only for this calculation. Using a what3words address is optional; if you do, the three words go to what3words to be converted and we don't record them. Set a location first, then you can save an email alert for this object. See our privacy policy.

Two-body approximation, good to about a degree for the planets — enough to find the constellation and know whether it is up.

Orbital elements

Semi-major axis: 35.619 AU
Eccentricity: 0.3326
Inclination: 110.28°
Orbital period: 212.6 years
Perihelion: 23.772 AU
Aphelion: 47.465 AU
Longitude of ascending node: 243.87°
Argument of periapsis: 322.39°
Epoch · J2000: 2461200.5
Orbit class · TNO: Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 8,921.8 LD: 22.925 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter): -1.564

Orbit quality

Orbit very well determined (uncertainty code 2).

Observations used: 333
Data arc: 15.06 years
First observed: 10 May 2010
Last observed: 30 May 2025
Residual RMS: 0.48 ″
Solution · Otto Matic: 1 August 2025

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H): 7.44

Discovery & classification

Discovered by: Mt. Lemmon Survey
Discovery date: 31 May 2011
Discovery site: Mount Lemmon

One of the Four Perils of Chinese mythology, Taowu is a ferocious and stubborn beast said to lurk within the western regions of China. It is depicted as having a human head, tiger legs, boar tusks, and a long tail.

Also known as 471325 · 2011 KT19

Named TNO

Sources

visual properties: JPL SBDB (lookup)
orbital elements: JPL SBDB