SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2009 Y2

Kowalski

Kowalski follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.64 carries it from 2.339 AU at perihelion out to 10.675 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 178
Orbital Period · P
16.6 yr
v(q)
24.9 km/s
v(Q)
5.5 km/s
TJ
2.29
Eccentricity · e
0.6405

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 2.339 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 10.675 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 8.336 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 6.507 AU gives an orbital period of 16.6 yr, or about 6,063 days.

The high eccentricity (0.64) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 29.93° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 24.9 km/s at perihelion and falls to 5.5 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.29, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

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

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 178 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.5977 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 5 indicates a moderately constrained orbit; predictions decades ahead still carry noticeable uncertainty.

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
6.507 AU
Eccentricity
0.6405
Perihelion
2.339 AU
Aphelion
10.674733 AU
Inclination
29.93°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2455207.5
Mean Anomaly
355.33°

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
0.59766
Condition
5
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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