SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2022 C3

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.547 carries it from 4.375 AU at perihelion out to 14.938 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 123
Orbital Period · P
30.0 yr
v(q)
17.7 km/s
v(Q)
5.2 km/s
TJ
2.76
Eccentricity · e
0.547

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 4.375 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 14.938 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 10.563 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 9.656 AU gives an orbital period of 30.0 yr, or about 10,959 days.

The high eccentricity (0.547) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 12.82° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 17.7 km/s at perihelion and falls to 5.2 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.76, 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

The current orbit solution is based on 123 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.3646 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
9.656 AU
Eccentricity
0.547
Perihelion
4.375 AU
Aphelion
14.937832 AU
Inclination
12.82°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2459692.5
Mean Anomaly
357.72°

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
0.36465
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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