(9168) Sarov Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 18 September 1987 by L. I. Chernykh at Nauchnyj.
Sarov is a small town in the Nizhnij Novgorod region of the Russian Federation where the All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics is located. Sarov is known also as the dwelling-place of Serafim Sarovskij (1754-1833), a monk who was much respected in Russia for his integrity and kindness.Naming citation (20020624/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Sarov is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Sarov is 2.63 au from the Sun and 3.21 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 9168 |
| Provisional designation | 1987 ST17 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 5.84 km (#9,159 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.206 |
| Rotation period | 8.37 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.87 |
| Orbital period | 3.79 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.43 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.06 – 2.81 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.155 |
| Inclination | 8.80° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.06 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.