(20000) Varuna Trans-Neptunian Object
Discovered on 28 November 2000 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak.
Varuna is one of the oldest of the vedic deities, the maker and upholder of heaven and earth. As such he is king of gods and men and the universe, and he has unlimited knowledge. The name was suggested by M. Sarabhai.Naming citation (20010309/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Varuna is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Varuna is 44.3 au from the Sun and 44.6 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 20000 |
| Provisional designation | 2000 WR106 |
| Orbit class | Trans-Neptunian Object |
| Diameter | 900 km (#2 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0700 |
| Rotation period | 6.34 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 3.79 |
| Orbital period | 284 years |
| Semi-major axis | 43.2 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 41.0 – 45.4 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0516 |
| Inclination | 17.1° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 40.0 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.