SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 M1

Catalina

Catalina follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.939 carries it from 1.303 AU at perihelion out to 41.217 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 171
Orbital Period · P
98.0 yr
v(q)
36.3 km/s
v(Q)
1.1 km/s
TJ
1.35
Eccentricity · e
0.9387

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 1.303 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 41.217 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 39.914 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 21.26 AU gives an orbital period of 98.0 yr, or about 35,804 days.

The high eccentricity (0.939) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 37.26° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 36.3 km/s at perihelion and falls to 1.1 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 1.35, 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 171 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.6034 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
21.26 AU
Eccentricity
0.9387
Perihelion
1.303 AU
Aphelion
41.216762 AU
Inclination
37.26°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2458346.5
Mean Anomaly
0.37°

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
0.60336
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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