SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 336P

McNaught

McNaught follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.453 carries it from 2.633 AU at perihelion out to 6.993 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 164
Orbital Period · P
10.6 yr
v(q)
22.1 km/s
v(Q)
8.3 km/s
TJ
2.71
Eccentricity · e
0.4529

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (2.633 AU) and its farthest (6.993 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 4.36 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 10.6 yr (3,857 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 4.813 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.453) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 18.56° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 22.1 km/s at perihelion and falls to 8.3 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.71, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

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

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 164 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.6001 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 1 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
4.813 AU
Eccentricity
0.4529
Perihelion
2.633 AU
Aphelion
6.992808 AU
Inclination
18.56°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2454677.5
Mean Anomaly
66.43°

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
0.60009
Condition
1
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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