Heinrich Olbers discovered Pallas while searching for Ceres, which had been found the previous year. The existence of two small bodies between Mars and Jupiter suggested a whole population of objects — the asteroid belt. Pallas is about 340 miles across and has one of the most tilted orbits in the asteroid belt, inclined 35 degrees to the ecliptic. It remains one of the largest asteroids known.
Today in Space
March 28, 1802
A second tiny world between Mars and Jupiter — the asteroid belt was revealing itself
Heinrich Olbers discovered Pallas while searching for Ceres, which had been found the previous year.
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Today In Space: A second tiny world between Mars and Jupiter — the asteroid belt was revealing itself