Object Analysis

Pallas (2 Pallas) is the second asteroid to have been discovered (after Ceres) and is one of the largest asteroids in the Solar System. With an estimated diameter of 512 kilometers, it contains about 7% of the total mass of the asteroid belt. It was discovered by Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers in 1802.

Pallas is unique for its highly inclined orbit; it travels at an angle of 34 degrees relative to the plane of the other planets. It is a B-type asteroid, meaning it has a surface rich in carbonaceous materials and anhydrous silicates, giving it a somewhat "primitive" chemical signature.

Though it is nearly large enough to be a dwarf planet, its surface is too irregular to be in hydrostatic equilibrium. Observations suggest Pallas has a highly cratered, "golf ball" appearance. It is a member of the Pallas family of asteroids, which are fragments likely created by a large impact on Pallas itself in the distant past.