SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 242P

Spahr

Spahr follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.278 carries it from 3.955 AU at perihelion out to 6.998 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 1,567
Encyclopedia excerpt
Spahr is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Charles Barzillai Spahr (1860-1904), American political economist Charles E. Spahr (1913–2009) Gebhard Spahr (1913–1986), German Benedictine monk, historian, art historian Jean Gurney Fine Spahr (1861-1935), American social reformer Juliana Spahr (born 1966), American poet, critic, and editor Samuel Spahr Laws (1824–1921), American physician, businessman, inventor, professor, college president and minister Timothy B. Spahr, American astronomer 171P/Spahr, periodic comet in the Solar System; named after Timothy B. Spahr 242P/Spahr 2975 Spahr, main-belt asteroid; named after Timothy B. Spahr
Orbital Period · P
12.8 yr
v(q)
16.9 km/s
v(Q)
9.6 km/s
TJ
2.61
Eccentricity · e
0.2779

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (3.955 AU) and its farthest (6.998 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 3.043 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 12.8 yr (4,680 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 5.476 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.278 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

A steep inclination of 32.48° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 16.9 km/s at perihelion and falls to 9.6 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.61, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

Neither a measured diameter nor a reliable absolute magnitude is available for Spahr, so its physical size remains unconstrained.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 1,567 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.6999 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
5.476 AU
Eccentricity
0.2779
Perihelion
3.955 AU
Aphelion
6.99778 AU
Inclination
32.48°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2458917.5
Mean Anomaly
224.34°

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
0.69989
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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