SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 DO4

Lemmon

Lemmon follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.907 carries it from 2.406 AU at perihelion out to 49.315 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 660
Orbital Period · P
132 yr
v(q)
26.5 km/s
v(Q)
1.3 km/s
TJ
-1.57
Eccentricity · e
0.907

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (2.406 AU) and its farthest (49.315 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 46.909 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 132 yr (48,032 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 25.86 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.907) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 160.5° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 26.5 km/s at perihelion and falls to 1.3 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = -1.57, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

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

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 660 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4226 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 1 means the orbit is very well determined, leaving only a small uncertainty in the future ephemeris.

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
25.86 AU
Eccentricity
0.907
Perihelion
2.406 AU
Aphelion
49.31502 AU
Inclination
160.47°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2458673.5
Mean Anomaly
359.7°

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
0.4226
Condition
1
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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