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Makemake — Dwarf Planet in Virgo

136472 Makemake, 2005 FY9

DwarfPlanet Virgo Visible
Rendered preview of Makemake from the Nightbase orrery, lit from the current Sun direction with the terminator visible.
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Properties

Magnitude 17.0
Angular Size 0.046 arcmin
Type: Dwarf Planet
Distance: 45.511 AU
Orbital Period: 112146.0 days
Diameter: 1,430 km
Atmosphere: None detected (a transient methane atmosphere is possible near perihelion)
Features: Methane-ice surface with darker patches
Classical Kuiper-belt dwarf planet, third largest known. Bright methane-ice surface; one tiny moon, MK 2 (S/2015 (136472) 1).

Position & Identifiers

RA 13h 24m 49.2s
Dec +21° 03' 58.6"
Constellation Virgo
Catalog Makemake

Physical Properties

Diameter 1,430 km (0.11× Earth)
Mass 3.1e21 kg
Albedo 0.81 (81% reflected)
Temperature -239°C
Rotation 22.8 hours
Atmosphere None detected (a transient methane atmosphere is possible near perihelion)
Surface Methane-ice surface with darker patches
Angular Size 0.0″ (current)

Orbital Properties

Semi-major Axis 45.5110 AU (6,808.3 million km)
Eccentricity 0.1604
Inclination 29.03°
Orbital Period 307.04 years
Distance 51.942 AU (7.20 light-hours)
Elongation 140.8° Good

Observing Tips

Best Months March , April , May
Visibility Large telescope only
Where to Look In Coma Berenices
Notes Classical Kuiper-belt dwarf planet, third largest known. Bright methane-ice surface; one tiny moon, MK 2 (S/2015 (136472) 1).

Discovery

Discovered by Mike Brown, Chad Trujillo, David Rabinowitz
Date 2005-03-31

Current Ephemeris

51.942
AU from Earth
7.77B
km
0.0″
Angular Size
141°
Elongation

How easy to spot?

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Telescope Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
80mm refr. Imp. Imp. Imp.
150mm Newt. Imp. Imp. Imp.
C8 203mm Imp. Imp. Imp.
Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs

Out of reach for typical amateur telescopes, even at Bortle 3.
Out of reach on Seestar S50

Visibility

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Community Photos (1)

Rendered preview of Makemake from the Nightbase orrery, lit from the current Sun direction with the terminator visible.

Rendered preview of Makemake from the Nightbase orrery, lit from the current Sun direction with the terminator visible.

Credit: Nightbase orrery render.

Skybred Apr 27, 2026

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