SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 R2

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.989 carries it from 4.692 AU at perihelion out to 822.1 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 386
Orbital Period · P
8,405 yr
v(q)
19.4 km/s
v(Q)
0.1 km/s
TJ
1.61
Eccentricity · e
0.9887

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (4.692 AU) and its farthest (822.1 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 817.4 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 8,405 yr (3,070,053 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 413.4 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.989) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 53.22° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 19.4 km/s at perihelion and falls to 0.1 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 1.61, 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 386 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5966 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
413.4 AU
Eccentricity
0.9887
Perihelion
4.692 AU
Aphelion
822.12858 AU
Inclination
53.22°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2459412.5
Mean Anomaly
359.97°

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
0.5966
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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