SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2011 W1

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.289 carries it from 3.312 AU at perihelion out to 6 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 171
Orbital Period · P
10.0 yr
v(q)
18.6 km/s
v(Q)
10.3 km/s
TJ
2.93
Eccentricity · e
0.2887

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (3.312 AU) and its farthest (6 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 2.688 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 10.0 yr (3,670 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 4.656 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.289 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

Its inclination of 3.72° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 18.6 km/s at perihelion and falls to 10.3 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.93, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

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

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 171 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.6007 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 4 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
4.656 AU
Eccentricity
0.2887
Perihelion
3.312 AU
Aphelion
6.000187 AU
Inclination
3.72°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2455934.5
Mean Anomaly
358.57°

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
0.60072
Condition
4
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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