SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 22P

Kopff

Kopff follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.549 carries it from 1.555 AU at perihelion out to 5.333 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 2,690
Orbital Period · P
6.39 yr
v(q)
29.7 km/s
v(Q)
8.7 km/s
TJ
2.87
Eccentricity · e
0.5486

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.555 AU) and its farthest (5.333 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 3.778 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 6.39 yr (2,334 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 3.444 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.549) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

Its inclination of 4.74° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 29.7 km/s at perihelion and falls to 8.7 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.87, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

The measured diameter is 3 km, a value from direct size determination rather than from brightness alone.

Its geometric albedo of 0.05 indicates a very dark, carbonaceous-type surface.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 2,690 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.6752 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 0 means the orbit is very well determined, leaving only a small uncertainty in the future ephemeris.

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
3.444 AU
Eccentricity
0.5486
Perihelion
1.555 AU
Aphelion
5.333378 AU
Inclination
4.74°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2458545.5
Mean Anomaly
188.72°

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
3.0 km
Albedo
0.05
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
—

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.67522
Condition
0
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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