(1647) Menelaus Jupiter Trojan
Discovered on 23 June 1957 by S. B. Nicholson at Palomar.
Where Menelaus is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Menelaus is 5.08 au from the Sun and 6.02 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 1647 |
| Provisional designation | 1957 MK |
| Orbit class | Jupiter Trojan |
| Diameter | 42.7 km (#903 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0560 |
| Rotation period | 17.7 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 10.47 |
| Orbital period | 11.9 years |
| Semi-major axis | 5.20 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 5.08 – 5.32 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0229 |
| Inclination | 5.65° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 4.09 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.