SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2024 X3

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.626 carries it from 2.614 AU at perihelion out to 11.374 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 116
Orbital Period · P
18.5 yr
v(q)
23.5 km/s
v(Q)
5.4 km/s
TJ
2.55
Eccentricity · e
0.6262

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 2.614 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 11.374 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 8.76 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 6.994 AU gives an orbital period of 18.5 yr, or about 6,756 days.

The high eccentricity (0.626) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

Its inclination of 2.97° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 23.5 km/s at perihelion and falls to 5.4 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.55, 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 116 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.5592 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 3 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
6.994 AU
Eccentricity
0.6262
Perihelion
2.614 AU
Aphelion
11.373643 AU
Inclination
2.97°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2460747.5
Mean Anomaly
10.03°

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
0.5592
Condition
3
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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