SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2015 W2

Catalina

Catalina follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.634 carries it from 2.678 AU at perihelion out to 11.962 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 188
Orbital Period · P
19.8 yr
v(q)
23.3 km/s
v(Q)
5.2 km/s
TJ
2.51
Eccentricity · e
0.6341

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 2.678 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 11.962 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 9.284 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 7.32 AU gives an orbital period of 19.8 yr, or about 7,234 days.

The high eccentricity (0.634) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 11.61° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 23.3 km/s at perihelion and falls to 5.2 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.51, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

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

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 188 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.3993 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
7.32 AU
Eccentricity
0.6341
Perihelion
2.678 AU
Aphelion
11.961612 AU
Inclination
11.61°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2457361.5
Mean Anomaly
3.24°

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
0.39935
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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