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The Largest Celestial Bodies in Our Solar System

Celestial bodies with Ø > 900 km, size comparison with pictures
Celestial bodies with Ø > 400 km, list with data
List of astronomical terms in different languages
The planet definitions of the IAU ( with plutoids)
List of the 98 largest bodies in our Solar System
All known large bodies in our Solar System with a minimum diameter of 400 km,
bodies known only by their luminosity are included down to absolute luminosity H = 5.2

- last updated on July 23rd, 2008 -  
# English object typesatdiameter in km αHmass in Yg orbit radiusorbital period
1Sun star8+x1391980  -26.819890000000.00 AU-
2Jupiter 5th planet63139889 (142984×133700) 52-9.418987004.95-5.46 AU11.863 years
3Saturn 6th planet60116600 (120536×108728) 47-8.85684609.02-10.05 AU29.447 years
4Uranus 7th planet2750727 (51118×49946) 51-8.68683218.29-20.10 AU84.017 years
5Neptune 8th planet1349246 (49528×48681) 41-8.310243029.81-30.33 AU164.79 years
6Earth 3rd planet112742 (12756×12713) 37-3.85973.60.98-1.02 AU1.0000 year
7Venus 2nd planet012104 (12104×12103) 65-4.24868.50.72-0.73 AU0.6152 years
8Mars 4th planet26788 (6805×6755) 15-2.9641.91.38-1.67 AU1.8808 years
9Ganymede Jupiter moon05262 43-2.0148.21,070,400 km7.15 d
10Titan Saturn moon05150 21-1.2134.51,221,850 km15.95 d
11Mercury 1st planet04879 (4879×4878) 11-0.2330.20.31-0.47 AU0.2408 years
12Callisto Jupiter moon04821 17-1.0107.61,882,700 km16.69 d
13Io Jupiter moon03643 (3660×3637×3631) 63-1.689.32421,600 km1.77 d
14(The) Moon Earth moon03475 (3476×3476×3472) 120.273.47384,405 km27.32 d
15Europa Jupiter moon03122 67-1.348.0670,900 km3.55 d
16Triton Neptune moon02707 76-1.121.47354,760 km-5.88 d
17(136199) Eris dwarf planet12600 ±100 ? 70-1.216.738.16-97.52 AU558.7 years
18(134340) Pluto dwarf planet32306 ±20 58-0.712.729.70-49.89 AU251.1 years
19(136472) Makemake dwarf planet01600 ±300 ? 80-0.54.0 ?38.22-52.75 AU306.8 years
20Titania Uranus moon01578 271.13.53463,300 km8.71 d
21Rhea Saturn moon01528 650.22.32527,040 km4.52 d
22Oberon Uranus moon01523 231.33.01583,519 km13.46 d
23(90377) Sedna SDO01490 ±310 ? 301.61.7 - 6.176.26-897.00 AU10734.9 years
24Iapetus Saturn moon01436 270.81.973,561,300 km79.33 d
25(136108) 2003 EL61 dwarf planet21225 ±175 ? 840.24.2034.83-51.55 AU283.9 years
26Charon Pluto moon01212 ±3 370,91.5219,405 km6.39 d
27Umbriel Uranus moon01169 212.31.17266,300 km4.14 d
28Ariel Uranus moon01158 (1162×1156×1155) 391.41.35190,900 km2.52 d
29(84522) 2002 TC302 SDO/2:501144 ±331 ? 33.9?39.12-71.19 AU409.6 years
30Dione Saturn moon01118 551.11.10377,396 km2.74 d
31Tethys Saturn moon01060 (1071×1056×1052) 800.80.62294,619 km1.89 d
32(1) Ceres dwarf planet0953 (975×975×909) 113.30.942.54-2.99 AU4.5998 years
33(90482) Orcus plutino1946 ±74 ? 202.30.6 - 0.730.39-48.05 AU245.6 years
 2007 UK126 SDO1885 ?? 83.50.837.53-108.00 AU620.7 years
 (50000) Quaoar TNO1844 ±200 ? 202.61.0 - 2.641.93-45.28 AU287.9 years
 2003 MW12 TNO0840 ??  3.6?39.56-52.51 AU312.3 years
 2005 QU182 SDO0800 ??  3.7?42.33-143.00 AU892.0 years
 2005 UQ513 TNO0800 ??  3.7?37.00-49.63 AU285.1 years
 2006 QH181 SDO0765 ??  3.8?37.53-96.91 AU551.1 years
 (55565) 2002 AW197 TNO0735 ±110 ? 123.3?40.97-53.28 AU323.5 years
 (145452) 2005 RN43 TNO0730 ??  3.9?40.63-42.77 AU269.3 years
 2002 MS4 TNO0726 ±123 ? 83.7?36.09-47.83 AU271.8 years
 (55636) 2002 TX300 TNO0709 ? 193.3?37.85-48.70 AU284.7 years
 2003 AZ84 TNO1686 ±98 ? 123.9?32.19-46.53 AU246.9 years
 (55637) 2002 UX25 TNO1681 ±115 ? 113.60.836.66-48.59 AU278.3 years
 (145453) 2005 RR43 TNO0697 ??  4.0?37.17-49.15 AU283.5 years
 (90568) 2004 GV9 TNO0677 ±70 ? 84.0?38.78-45.41 AU273.1 years
 (120178) 2003 OP32 TNO0666 ??  4.1?38.67-48.18 AU286.2 years
 (28978) Ixion plutino0650 ±250 ? 123.2?30.05-49.37 AU250.2 years
 (42301) 2001 UR163 SDO0636 ??  4.2?36.85-66.41 AU371.0 years
 (84922) 2003 VS2 TNO0636 ??  4.2?36.42-42.20 AU246.5 years
 2003 UZ413 TNO0607 ??  4.3?30.37-48.04 AU245.5 years
 (20000) Varuna TNO0600 ±150 ? 163.70.59 ?40.48-45.13 AU280.1 years
 2003 QW90 TNO0580 ??  4.4?40.51-47.15 AU290.2 years
 (119951) 2002 KX14 TNO0580 ??  4.4?37.29-40.70 AU243.5 years
 (120347) 2004 SB60 TNO1580 ??  4.4?37.62-46.66 AU273.5 years
 (145451) 2005 RM43 SDO0580 ??  4.4?35.10-145.00 AU854.5 years
 1996 TL66 SDO0575 ±116 ? 45.40.26 ?35.02-130.0 AU749.5 years
 (19521) Chaos TNO0560 ? 104.9?40.99-50.14 AU307.6 years
 (19308) 1996 TO66 TNO0554 ??  4.5?38.13-48.54 AU285.3 years
 (120348) 2004 TY364 TNO0554 ??  4.5?36.35-41.30 AU241.9 years
 2004 XR190 SDO0554 ??  4.5?51.17-63.53 AU434.3 years
 2004 NT33 TNO0554 ??  4.5?36.89-50.50 AU288.8 years
 (2) Pallas MB asteroid0534 (574×526×501) 164.00.242.14-3.41 AU4.61 years
 (38628) Huya plutino0532 ±25 ? 54.7?28.53-50.79 AU249.8 years
 2004 PR107 TNO0529 ??  4.6?38.98-52.52 AU309.4 years
 2002 KW14 TNO0529 ??  4.6?37.34-56.65 AU322.2 years
 (144897) 2004 UX10 TNO0529 ??  4.6?37.29-40.70 AU243.5 years
 2007 JH43 TNO0529 ??  4.6?38.66-40.56 AU249.3 years
 (4) Vesta MB asteroid0517 (560×544×448) 423.10.272.15-2.57 AU3.63 years
 2001 QF298 TNO0505 ??  4.7?35.09-43.79 AU247.7 years
 (145480) 2005 TB190 SDO0505 ??  4.7?46.22-106.00 AU664.0 years
 (175113) 2004 PF115 TNO0505 ??  4.7?36.61-41.65 AU244.7 years
 Enceladus Saturn moon0504 (513×503×497) 992.20.10238.020 km1.37 d
 (24835) 1995 SM55 TNO0483 ?? 104.8?37.46-45.99 AU269.5 years
 2000 CN105 TNO0483 ??  4.8?40.18-48.74 AU296.5 years
 Miranda Uranus moon0471 (480×468×466) 323.50.07129.872 km1.41 d
 (26375) 1999 DE9 SDO/2:50461 ±46 ? 74.7?32.30-78.36 AU411.6 years
 2003 QX113 TNO0461 ??  4.9?37.33-62.29 AU351.6 years
 2007 JJ43 TNO0461 ??  4.9?40.26-56.65 AU337.3 years
 2002 XV93 TNO0461 ??  4.9?34.29-44.07 AU245.3 years
 2004 PG115 SDO0461 ??  4.9?36.40-147.00 AU878.1 years
 1998 SN165 TNO0460 ±60 ? 45.8?36.37-36.49 AU233.6 years
 2002 CY248 TNO0440 ??  5.0?39.15-52.96 AU312.5 years
 (120132) 2003 FY128 TNO0440 ??  5.0?37.08-61.91 AU348.3 years
 (82075) 2000 YW134 SDO0440 ??  5.0?41.11-74.02 AU436.8 years
 2007 XV50 TNO0440 ??  5.0?42.56-46.42 AU296.8 years
 Proteus Neptune moon0420 (440×416×404) 105.60.05117.647 km1.12 d
 (119979) 2002 WC19 TNO/1:21420 ??  5.1?35.28-59.97 AU328.7 years
 (79360) 1997 CS29 TNO0420 ??  5.1?43.28-44.17 AU289.1 years
 1999 CD158 TNO0420 ??  5.1?37.16-49.96 AU287.5 years
 (10) Hygiea MB asteroid0412 (500×385×350) 76.10.092.76-3.51 AU5.56 years
 (26181) 1996 GQ21 SDO0401 ??  5.2?38.30-150.00 AU913.6 years
 2006 HH123 SDO0401 ??  5.2?29.88-81.54 AU415.8 years
 2007 HV90 TNO0401 ??  5.2?41.24-48.90 AU302.6 years
 2007 JF43 TNO0401 ??  5.2?32.25-46.92 AU249.0 years
 (47171) 1999 TC36 plutino1405 ±55 ? 84.70.0230.57-48.31 AU247.7 years
 Mimas Saturn moon0397 (418×392×383) 773.00.04185.520 km0.94 d
# English object typesatdiameter in km αHmass in Yg orbit radiusorbital period
Makemake is pronounced ['mαke'mαke], Quaoar is pronounced ['kwαwαr].

red name: "new member" in our Solar System. discovered only 1995 or later (Σ 64), the data are changing continuously due to new measurements,
black name: was known already in 1994 (Σ 34), the data are relatively stable and secured because of tens of years of measuring,
sat: number of known satellites of this celestial body,
diameter = average diameter, evtl. with ± uncertainty, in brackets diameters in two or three axes - the last one is the polar diameter,
α = average geometric albedo in percent, a measure for how much of the light received get reflected by the body, this value is often only estimated,
numbers with "??" are especially dubious, because they are based only on the visual luminosity and the standard assumption of a 9 percent albedo,
H = absolute luminosity (depends only on the size and the albedo of a body, if the body is not shining by itself),
mass: 1 Yg = 1 yottagram = 10e24 g = 1 quadrillion* grams = 10e21 kg = 1 trilliard* kilograms = 1 billion* megatons     (*: long scale counting)
    (in American English short scale counting: 10e24 g = 1 septillion grams = 1 sextillion kilograms = 1 quintillion international tons = 1 trillion megatons),
orbit radius in case of satellites of the sun: smallest distance to sun (perihelion) - largest distance to sun (aphelion) in AU,
orbit radius in case of moons: average orbit radius in km,
AU = Astronomical Unit = average earth-sun distance = 149,597,870.691 km = around 150 million kilometers,
orbital period = sidereal orbital period, i.e. measured against the background of the stars, in case of moons in d = Latin "dies" = earthly days

Name of typeMeaning
central body of a solar system:
star		 celestial body that by itself actively emits radiation, of which the energy is being produced by nuclear fusion
large satellite of the sun:
planet		 primary satellite of the sun with the property of having enough gravity that it formed itself into a round shape,
having succeeded in clearing its orbital neighbourhood
midsized satellite of the sun:
dwarf planet		 primary satellite of the sun having enough gravity that it formed itself into a round shape,
NOT having succeeded in clearing its orbital neighbourhood
midsized satellite of the sun:
plutoid		 transneptunian dwarf planet
small satellite of the sun:
SSSB
MB asteroid
TNO
plutino
TNO/1:2
SDO
SDO/2:5		 primary satellite of the sun with not enough mass to be a planet or dwarf planet
general name Small Solar System Body, comprises "asteroids" and "comets"
special case Main Belt asteroid = SSSB with an orbit between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
special case Trans-Neptunian Object = SSSB with an orbit beyond Neptune
special case TNO with 2:3 resonance to Neptune, like Pluto and its moons
special case TNO with 1:2 resonance to Neptune, sometimes called twotino
special case TNO with an orbit inside the "Scattered Disk" (semi-major axis > 50 AU)
special case SDO with 2:5 resonance to Neptune
satellite of a satellite:
"moon"		 minor celestial body that does not orbit around the sun, but around another celestial body
*: "Dwarf planet candidates" are relatively large SSSBs that are awaiting the approval by the IAU as dwarf planets.

Obsolete names:
2003 UB 313 = 136199 Eris "the 9th planet" = 134340 Pluto 2005 FY 9 = 136472 Makemake
2003 EL 61 = 136108 ?    
2002 TC 302 = 84522 ? 2003 VB 12 = 90377 Sedna 2004 DW = 90482 Orcus
2002 LM 60 = 50000 Quaoar 2002 AW 197 = 55565 ? 2001 KX 76 = 28978 Ixion
2000 WR 106 = 20000 Varuna 1998 WH 24 = 19521 Chaos 2000 EB 173 = 38628 Huya

Source of the numbers:
The orbital data are taken from the lists of the Minor Planet Center, the physical data are taken with modifications from Wikipedia,
from "Physical Properties of Kuiper Belt and Centaur Objects: Constraints from Spitzer Space Telescope"
(Stansberry, Grundy, Brown, Cruikshank, Spencer, Trilling, Margot, Feb. 2007),
and from Johnston's Archive.
The above mentioned orbital periods were derived by me from the perihelion and aphelion data, and the
absolute luminosity H from the supposed size of the object and the estimated albedo, if not yet known from other sources.

→ The orbital period in years is proportional to √(a3), where a = great half-axis in AU = (perihelion + aphelion) / 2
→ average diameter = (equatorial diameter + equatorial diameter + polar diameter) / 3
→ absolute luminosity H = [solar luminosity = -26.8] - 5 × log ( √([albedo]) × [average diameter in km] / 2 / 149600000 )
with log = decimal logarithm

Size comparison with pictures   List of astronomical terms in different languages   The planet definitions of the IAU


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© 2005-2008 Elmar Dünßer [Duensser], Germany