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Trans-Neptunian object

2017 BG231

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(2017 BG231)

2017 BG231 is a trans-Neptunian object in the Trans-Neptunian object orbit class. Its orbit takes it from 37.85 AU to 56.14 AU from the Sun; one orbit takes 322.1 years. Orbit from the JPL solution of 22 March 2024.

Where is it now

Distance from Sun
44.93 AU
True anomaly
88.15°
Distance from Earth
45.556 AU
As of
24 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.

Sun Earth — 0.994 AU from the Sun Earth 2017 BG231 — 44.93 AU from the Sun 2017 BG231
Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. 2017 BG231 is 45.556 AU from Earth today (6.3 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension
10h 31m 26s
Declination
-09° 26′ 22″
Constellation
Sextans
Distance from Earth
45.55 AU
Elongation from the Sun
51.24° — near the Sun — look low at dusk or dawn

Visible from both hemispheres.

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.

How do I find my coordinates?

Google Maps on a computer

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

Google Maps on a phone

  1. Press and hold the spot to drop a pin.
  2. 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
46.992 AU
Eccentricity
0.1946
Inclination
29.98°
Orbital period
322.1 years
Perihelion
37.847 AU
Aphelion
56.137 AU
Longitude of ascending node
308.83°
Argument of periapsis
129.09°
Epoch · J2000
2461200.5
Orbit class · TNO
Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 14,376.0 LD
36.9398 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter)
5.217

Orbit quality

Orbit poorly determined (uncertainty code 7).

Observations used
23
Data arc
356 days
First observed
26 January 2017
Last observed
17 January 2018
Residual RMS
0.13 ″
Solution · Otto Matic
22 March 2024

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H)
8.11

Discovery & classification

TNO

Sources