SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 350P

McNaught

McNaught follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.093 carries it from 3.703 AU at perihelion out to 4.465 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 98
Orbital Period · P
8.25 yr
v(q)
16.2 km/s
v(Q)
13.4 km/s
TJ
3.02
Eccentricity · e
0.0934

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (3.703 AU) and its farthest (4.465 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 0.762 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 8.25 yr (3,015 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 4.084 AU.

With e = 0.093, the orbit is close to circular.

The orbital plane is tilted 7.36° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 16.2 km/s at perihelion and falls to 13.4 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 3.02, 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 98 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5958 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
4.084 AU
Eccentricity
0.0934
Perihelion
3.703 AU
Aphelion
4.465446 AU
Inclination
7.36°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2459967.5
Mean Anomaly
222.93°

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
0.59576
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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