SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2017 P1

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.308 carries it from 5.438 AU at perihelion out to 10.29 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 46
Orbital Period · P
22.1 yr
v(q)
14.6 km/s
v(Q)
7.7 km/s
TJ
2.98
Eccentricity · e
0.3085

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 5.438 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 10.29 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 4.852 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 7.864 AU gives an orbital period of 22.1 yr, or about 8,055 days.

An eccentricity of 0.308 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 7.7° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 14.6 km/s at perihelion and falls to 7.7 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.98, 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 0.4022 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
7.864 AU
Eccentricity
0.3085
Perihelion
5.438 AU
Aphelion
10.290044 AU
Inclination
7.7°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2457994.5
Mean Anomaly
346.88°

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
0.40224
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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