SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2019 O2

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.831 carries it from 9.683 AU at perihelion out to 105.0 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 588
Orbital Period · P
434 yr
v(q)
13 km/s
v(Q)
1.2 km/s
TJ
-0.12
Eccentricity · e
0.8311

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (9.683 AU) and its farthest (105.0 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 95.312 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 434 yr (158,590 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 57.34 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.831) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 93.29° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 13 km/s at perihelion and falls to 1.2 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = -0.12, 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

Astrometry from 588 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.2831 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
57.34 AU
Eccentricity
0.8311
Perihelion
9.683 AU
Aphelion
104.995274 AU
Inclination
93.29°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2459374.5
Mean Anomaly
358.48°

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
0.28313
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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