SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2018 N1

NEOWISE

NEOWISE follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.997 carries it from 1.307 AU at perihelion out to 842.7 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 263
Orbital Period · P
8,669 yr
v(q)
36.8 km/s
v(Q)
0.1 km/s
TJ
-1.31
Eccentricity · e
0.9969

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.307 AU) and its farthest (842.7 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 841.4 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 8,669 yr (3,166,350 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 422.0 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.997) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 159.4° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 36.8 km/s at perihelion and falls to 0.1 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = -1.31, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

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

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 263 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.6575 arcseconds.

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
422.0 AU
Eccentricity
0.9969
Perihelion
1.307 AU
Aphelion
842.6918 AU
Inclination
159.44°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2458322.5
Mean Anomaly
360.0°

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
0.65749
Condition
—
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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