SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2023 B3

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.123 carries it from 3.983 AU at perihelion out to 5.103 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 82
Orbital Period · P
9.68 yr
v(q)
15.8 km/s
v(Q)
12.3 km/s
TJ
2.98
Eccentricity · e
0.1233

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 3.983 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 5.103 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 1.12 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 4.543 AU gives an orbital period of 9.68 yr, or about 3,537 days.

An eccentricity of 0.123 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 9.16° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 15.8 km/s at perihelion and falls to 12.3 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.98, 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 82 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.4502 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
4.543 AU
Eccentricity
0.1233
Perihelion
3.983 AU
Aphelion
5.103152 AU
Inclination
9.16°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2459934.5
Mean Anomaly
85.42°

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
0.45024
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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