(3906) Chao Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 31 May 1987 by C. S. Shoemaker at Palomar.
Where Chao is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Chao is 3.12 au from the Sun and 4.07 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 3906 |
| Provisional designation | 1987 KE1 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 46.2 km (#825 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0480 |
| Rotation period | 11.9 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 10.63 |
| Orbital period | 5.02 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.93 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.72 – 3.14 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0723 |
| Inclination | 26.1° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.72 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.