(378214) Sauron Mars-crossing Asteroid
Discovered on 14 January 2007 by Schwab, E., Kling, R. at Taunus.
Sauron is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. He created the One Ring to rule the rings of power. Due to Sauron's war-like nature, a Mars-crossing minor planet was chosen to receive his name.Naming citation (MPC batch dated 2016-08-18), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Sauron is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Sauron is 2.88 au from the Sun and 2.83 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 378214 |
| Provisional designation | 2007 AP11 |
| Orbit class | Mars-crossing Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 17.8 |
| Orbital period | 3.67 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.38 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.65 – 3.11 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.306 |
| Inclination | 1.05° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.661 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.