Trans-Neptunian object

Chaos

19521 Chaos (1998 WH24)

Where is it now

Distance from Sun: 41.085 AU
True anomaly: 348.81°
Distance from Earth: 40.691 AU
As of: 22 October 2026

Two-body Kepler propagation — accurate to ~0.1% for major planets over decades, less so for highly-perturbed bodies. Use JPL Horizons for high precision.

Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. Chaos is 40.691 AU from Earth today (5.6 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension: 06h 29m 57s
Declination: +31° 57′ 18″
Constellation: Auriga
Distance from Earth: 40.68 AU
Elongation from the Sun: 113.54° — well clear of the Sun

Favours the northern hemisphere; low or below the horizon from far south.

From your location

See how high it is right now, whether it is up after civil twilight, and when it rises and sets where you are.

Paste a location

How do I find my coordinates?

Google Maps on a computer

Right-click the spot where you'll be observing.
The first line of the menu is the coordinates, e.g. 51.50722, -0.12758 — click it and they're copied.
Paste them above.

Google Maps on a phone

Press and hold the spot to drop a pin.
The coordinates appear in the search bar (or on the pin's card) — tap to copy, then paste above.

A full Google Maps link works too, but the short maps.app.goo.gl share links don't carry coordinates — copy the numbers instead. We round to about a kilometre; that's all the sky calculation needs.

Know your what3words address? Paste it, e.g. ///filled.count.soap. This is optional — the three words are sent to what3words to convert them, and we don't store the address or the result.

Your location stays in your browser and is sent only for this calculation. Using a what3words address is optional; if you do, the three words go to what3words to be converted and we don't record them. Set a location first, then you can save an email alert for this object. See our privacy policy.

Two-body approximation, good to about a degree for the planets — enough to find the constellation and know whether it is up.

Orbital elements

Semi-major axis: 46.09 AU
Eccentricity: 0.1103
Inclination: 12.03°
Orbital period: 312.9 years
Perihelion: 41.007 AU
Aphelion: 51.173 AU
Longitude of ascending node: 49.94°
Argument of periapsis: 57.02°
Epoch · J2000: 2461200.5
Orbit class · TNO: Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 15,582.1 LD: 40.039 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter): 5.899

Orbit quality

Orbit very well determined (uncertainty code 2).

Observations used: 174
Data arc: 34.15 years
First observed: 17 October 1991
Last observed: 11 December 2025
Residual RMS: 0.38 ″
Solution · Otto Matic: 12 March 2026

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H): 4.64

Discovery & classification

Discovered by: Deep Ecliptic Survey
Discovery date: 19 November 1998
Discovery site: Kitt Peak

According to Hesiod, Chaos gave birth to Nyx (Night) and Erebus (Darkness). In the Pelasgian creation myth, Eurynome, the Goddess of All Things emerged from Chaos. In the Olympian version, Mother Earth emerged from Chaos.

Also known as 19521 · 1998 WH24

Named TNO

Sources

visual properties: JPL SBDB (lookup)
orbital elements: JPL SBDB