SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2025 Y2

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.241 carries it from 3.047 AU at perihelion out to 4.987 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 306
Orbital Period · P
8.05 yr
v(q)
19 km/s
v(Q)
11.6 km/s
TJ
2.93
Eccentricity · e
0.2415

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 3.047 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 4.987 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 1.94 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 4.017 AU gives an orbital period of 8.05 yr, or about 2,941 days.

An eccentricity of 0.241 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 16.59° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 19 km/s at perihelion and falls to 11.6 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.93, 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 306 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.4825 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
4.017 AU
Eccentricity
0.2415
Perihelion
3.047 AU
Aphelion
4.987106 AU
Inclination
16.59°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2461125.5
Mean Anomaly
13.34°

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
0.48249
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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