4769 Castalia

4769 Castalia is a fascinating asteroid in our Solar System that has captured the attention of astronomers and space enthusiasts alike. Positioned at an average distance of 1.59e+8 km (1.063 AU) from the Sun, 4769 Castalia occupies a significant place in the Solar System's architecture. As an asteroid, 4769 Castalia represents the remnants of the early Solar System, providing valuable insights into the formation and evolution of our cosmic neighborhood.

The 4769 Castalia physical characteristics reveal a world of remarkable dimensions and properties. The 4769 Castalia mass of 1.30e+12 kg represents 4593846153846.2× smaller than Earth's mass, giving this world substantial gravitational influence.

The 4769 Castalia orbit reveals fascinating details about its journey around the Sun and its relationship to other Solar System objects. The 4769 Castalia orbit has a semimajor axis of 1.59e+8 km (1.063 AU), placing it 1.1× Earth's distance from the Sun. At its closest approach (perihelion), 4769 Castalia comes within 8.22e+7 km of the Sun, while at its farthest point (aphelion), it reaches 2.36e+8 km, creating a 96.7% variation in solar distance. The 4769 Castalia orbit is moderately elliptical with an eccentricity of 0.483 (28.9× Earth's orbital eccentricity), creating noticeable seasonal variations in solar radiation. The 4769 Castalia orbit takes 0.11 hours to complete (78811.0× smaller than Earth's orbital period), defining the length of its year. The orbital inclination of 8.886° indicates how much the 4769 Castalia orbit is tilted relative to the Solar System's ecliptic plane. This moderate inclination indicates a typical orbital evolution for objects in this region of the Solar System.

The 4769 Castalia rotation and axial orientation provide crucial insights into its daily and seasonal cycles, as well as its orbital dynamics. The 4769 Castalia axial tilt of 0° determines the intensity and nature of seasonal variations. With minimal axial tilt, 4769 Castalia experiences virtually no seasonal changes, maintaining relatively constant temperatures throughout its year. The orbital orientation parameters reveal additional details about 4769 Castalia's position in space. The mean anomaly of 0° indicates the planet's current position in its orbit relative to its perihelion. The argument of periapsis of 0° shows how the orbit's orientation changes over time due to gravitational perturbations. The longitude of ascending node of 0° defines the reference point where the orbit crosses the ecliptic plane.

The 4769 Castalia temperature and atmospheric conditions are fundamental to understanding its habitability and environmental characteristics. The 4769 Castalia average temperature of 0.0 K (-273.1 °C) (-459.7°F) provides the baseline for understanding its climate. These extremely cold temperatures make 4769 Castalia inhospitable to life as we know it, with any atmosphere likely frozen solid on the surface. Compared to Earth's average temperature of 15°C (59°F), 4769 Castalia presents a dramatically different thermal environment. At a similar distance to Earth from the Sun, 4769 Castalia's temperature is primarily influenced by its atmospheric composition and albedo. The elliptical orbit creates significant temperature variations throughout the year, with extreme seasonal changes.

The 4769 Castalia escape velocity and shape characteristics reveal important details about its gravitational field and rotational dynamics. The 4769 Castalia escape velocity of 0 m/s determines how easily objects can break free from its gravitational pull. This relatively low escape velocity means that gases and light molecules can easily escape into space, making it difficult for 4769 Castalia to retain a substantial atmosphere. The 4769 Castalia flattening of 0.0000% indicates how much the planet's rotation affects its shape. This minimal flattening suggests a nearly spherical shape, indicating either slow rotation or a very rigid internal structure.