SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 1996 B2

Hyakutake

Hyakutake follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 1 carries it from 0.23 AU at perihelion out to 4,249.8 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 977
Orbital Period · P
97,958 yr
v(q)
87.8 km/s
v(Q)
0 km/s
TJ
-0.32
Eccentricity · e
0.9999

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 0.23 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 4,249.8 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 4,249.6 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 2,125.0 AU gives an orbital period of 97,958 yr, or about 35,779,035 days.

The high eccentricity (1) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 124.9° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 87.8 km/s at perihelion and falls to 0 km/s at aphelion.

Because q < 1 AU and Q > 1 AU, this orbit geometrically intersects the region of Earth's orbit.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = -0.32, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

The measured diameter is 4.2 km, a value from direct size determination rather than from brightness alone.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 977 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.7137 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
2125.0 AU
Eccentricity
0.9999
Perihelion
0.23 AU
Aphelion
4249.7875 AU
Inclination
124.92°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2450157.5
Mean Anomaly
360.0°

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

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.71366
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.

Keep exploring

Explore asteroids, comets and near-Earth objects with JPL orbital data.