An asteroid orbits the Sun in a circle with a sidereal period of 11.9 years. Compare this with the orbital characteristics of the planets. At what equivalent distance will this asteroid orbit the Sun?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sidereal period of 11.9 years is closest to that of Jupiter (11.86 years) and the question asks for the equivalent distance, indicating that it is asking for the asteroid's semi-major axis. Therefore, this asteroid would orbit the Sun at the same distance as Jupiter.

An Asteroid Orbits the Sun in a Circle with a Sidereal