(35734) Dilithium Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 14 April 1999 by R. A. Tucker at Goodricke-Pigott.
A substance of great power in the science fiction universe of Star Trek, dilithium is an essential component for the faster-than-light warp drive depicted in the stories. In the real world, dilithium is a molecule consisting of two covalently-bonded lithium atoms.Naming citation (MPC batch dated 2018-03-31), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Dilithium is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Dilithium is 2.67 au from the Sun and 2.68 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 35734 |
| Provisional designation | 1999 GT9 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.19 |
| Orbital period | 3.57 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.34 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.96 – 2.71 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.159 |
| Inclination | 6.01° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.960 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.