2 Pallas facts for kids
2 Pallas is the second asteroid found in our Solar System. It was discovered by Heinrich Wilhelm Matthäus Olbers on March 28, 1802. Pallas is named after Pallas Athena, another name for the Greek goddess Athena.
This asteroid is very large! Its mass is thought to be about 7% of all the asteroids in the asteroid belt combined. Pallas is the third largest asteroid by mass and the second largest by how wide it is (its diameter).
Contents
Discovering Pallas
Who Found Pallas?
A German astronomer named Heinrich Wilhelm Matthäus Olbers found Pallas. He was looking at the sky on March 28, 1802, when he spotted it. This was a very exciting discovery!
Why is it Called Pallas?
The asteroid 2 Pallas gets its name from Pallas Athena. She is a famous goddess from ancient Greek stories. Athena was known for wisdom, courage, and war.
Pallas's Place in Space
How Big is Pallas?
Pallas is one of the biggest objects in the asteroid belt. It's the second largest asteroid when you measure its width. It's also the third largest when you consider how much material it contains (its mass).
Where is Pallas Located?
Pallas orbits the Sun in the asteroid belt. This belt is a region between the planets Mars and Jupiter. Many asteroids live there, but Pallas is one of the biggest.
Images for kids
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High-resolution images of the north (at left) and south (at right) parts of Pallas. These were taken in 2020 using a special telescope. You can see two large basins, possibly from impacts. The bright spot in the south might be like salt deposits found on Ceres.
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The symbols for Ceres and Pallas, published in 1802.
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Pallas has an orbit that is quite stretched out and tilted.
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The sizes of the four largest asteroids compared. Pallas is the second one from the right.
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A false-color image of Pallas.
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A model showing how Pallas's brightness changes over time.
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Objects that were considered to be dwarf planets in 2006. Pallas is second from the right, bottom row.
See also
In Spanish: (2) Palas para niños
