SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2015 K5

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.554 carries it from 2.986 AU at perihelion out to 10.404 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 56
Orbital Period · P
17.3 yr
v(q)
21.5 km/s
v(Q)
6.2 km/s
TJ
2.22
Eccentricity · e
0.554

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 2.986 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 10.404 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 7.418 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 6.695 AU gives an orbital period of 17.3 yr, or about 6,327 days.

The high eccentricity (0.554) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 39.99° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 21.5 km/s at perihelion and falls to 6.2 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 PANSTARRS, so its physical size remains unconstrained.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 56 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.4204 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
6.695 AU
Eccentricity
0.554
Perihelion
2.986 AU
Aphelion
10.40403 AU
Inclination
39.99°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2457185.5
Mean Anomaly
0.32°

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
0.42042
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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