SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2014 X1

Elenin

Elenin follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.71 carries it from 1.815 AU at perihelion out to 10.703 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 631
Orbital Period · P
15.7 yr
v(q)
28.9 km/s
v(Q)
4.9 km/s
TJ
2.22
Eccentricity · e
0.71

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 1.815 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 10.703 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 8.888 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 6.259 AU gives an orbital period of 15.7 yr, or about 5,719 days.

The high eccentricity (0.71) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 25.97° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 28.9 km/s at perihelion and falls to 4.9 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.22, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

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

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 631 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.4822 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 3 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
6.259 AU
Eccentricity
0.71
Perihelion
1.815 AU
Aphelion
10.70289 AU
Inclination
25.97°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2457054.5
Mean Anomaly
1.53°

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
0.48224
Condition
3
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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