SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 1920 X1

Skjellerup

Skjellerup follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.994 carries it from 1.148 AU at perihelion out to 386.1 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 5
Orbital Period · P
2,694 yr
v(q)
39.3 km/s
v(Q)
0.1 km/s
TJ
1.25
Eccentricity · e
0.9941

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 1.148 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 386.1 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 384.9 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 193.6 AU gives an orbital period of 2,694 yr, or about 983,894 days.

The high eccentricity (0.994) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 22.03° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 39.3 km/s at perihelion and falls to 0.1 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 1.25, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

Neither a measured diameter nor a reliable absolute magnitude is available for Skjellerup, so its physical size remains unconstrained.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 5 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 4.7068 arcseconds.

About these computed values

Orbital periods, perihelion and aphelion speeds, and diameter estimates on this page are computed by SpaceAtlas from the JPL SBDB orbital elements. They are derived quantities, not values copied from the source catalogue.

Orbital Parameters

Semi-Major Axis
193.6 AU
Eccentricity
0.9941
Perihelion
1.148 AU
Aphelion
386.05776 AU
Inclination
22.03°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2422700.5
Mean Anomaly
0.01°

Orbit diagram

The Sun sits at the focus (orange). Earth's orbit is the grey circle at 1 AU. The red dot marks the object's position at the catalog epoch.

3D orbit (interactive)

Drag to rotate; scroll or pinch to zoom. The Sun is at the focus (orange), Earth's orbit is the grey ring at 1 AU, and the red dot marks the object's current position.

Close approaches

No close approaches to Earth are currently on record for this object.

Physical Parameters

Diameter
— km
Albedo
—
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
—

Orbit Quality

RMS
4.7068
Condition
—
Orbit ID
—
Data source: NASA JPL Small-Body Database . Orbital periods, perihelion and aphelion speeds, and diameter estimates on this page are computed by SpaceAtlas from the JPL SBDB orbital elements. They are derived quantities, not values copied from the source catalogue.

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