SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2016 A7

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.567 carries it from 2.177 AU at perihelion out to 7.869 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 46
Orbital Period · P
11.3 yr
v(q)
25.3 km/s
v(Q)
7 km/s
TJ
2.59
Eccentricity · e
0.5666

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 2.177 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 7.869 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 5.692 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 5.023 AU gives an orbital period of 11.3 yr, or about 4,112 days.

The high eccentricity (0.567) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 16.64° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 25.3 km/s at perihelion and falls to 7 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.59, 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 46 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.364 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
5.023 AU
Eccentricity
0.5666
Perihelion
2.177 AU
Aphelion
7.869032 AU
Inclination
16.64°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2457465.5
Mean Anomaly
1.85°

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
0.36404
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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