SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2013 G4

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.41 carries it from 2.613 AU at perihelion out to 6.251 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 41
Orbital Period · P
9.33 yr
v(q)
21.9 km/s
v(Q)
9.1 km/s
TJ
2.85
Eccentricity · e
0.4104

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 2.613 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 6.251 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 3.638 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 4.432 AU gives an orbital period of 9.33 yr, or about 3,408 days.

The high eccentricity (0.41) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 5.93° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 21.9 km/s at perihelion and falls to 9.1 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.85, 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

The current orbit solution is based on 41 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.376 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 6 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
4.432 AU
Eccentricity
0.4104
Perihelion
2.613 AU
Aphelion
6.250893 AU
Inclination
5.93°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2456407.5
Mean Anomaly
7.85°

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
0.37598
Condition
6
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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