SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 365P

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.573 carries it from 1.359 AU at perihelion out to 5.013 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 403
Orbital Period · P
5.69 yr
v(q)
32 km/s
v(Q)
8.7 km/s
TJ
2.9
Eccentricity · e
0.5733

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.359 AU) and its farthest (5.013 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 3.654 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 5.69 yr (2,077 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 3.186 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.573) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 9.84° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 32 km/s at perihelion and falls to 8.7 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.9, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

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

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 403 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4822 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
3.186 AU
Eccentricity
0.5733
Perihelion
1.359 AU
Aphelion
5.012534 AU
Inclination
9.84°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2458101.5
Mean Anomaly
349.81°

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

Predicted close approaches to Earth, from NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS).

Date (UTC)Miss distanceVelocity
2046-Feb-27 21:55 0.414572 AU
62019058 km
3.79 km/s

Distances in astronomical units (AU) and kilometres. Source: NASA/JPL CNEOS Close Approach Data API.

Physical Parameters

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

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.48223
Condition
1
Orbit ID
—
Data source: NASA JPL Small-Body Database · NASA CNEOS. 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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