SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 298P

Christensen

Christensen follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.412 carries it from 2.051 AU at perihelion out to 4.93 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 145
Orbital Period · P
6.52 yr
v(q)
24.7 km/s
v(Q)
10.3 km/s
TJ
2.97
Eccentricity · e
0.4125

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 2.051 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 4.93 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 2.879 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 3.49 AU gives an orbital period of 6.52 yr, or about 2,381 days.

The high eccentricity (0.412) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 8.02° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 24.7 km/s at perihelion and falls to 10.3 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.97, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

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

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 145 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.5463 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 2 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
3.49 AU
Eccentricity
0.4125
Perihelion
2.051 AU
Aphelion
4.929625 AU
Inclination
8.02°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2454341.5
Mean Anomaly
26.71°

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
0.54628
Condition
2
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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