SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 372P

McNaught

McNaught follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.153 carries it from 3.804 AU at perihelion out to 5.184 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 438
Orbital Period · P
9.53 yr
v(q)
16.4 km/s
v(Q)
12 km/s
TJ
2.97
Eccentricity · e
0.1535

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (3.804 AU) and its farthest (5.184 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 1.38 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 9.53 yr (3,480 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 4.494 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.153 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

The orbital plane is tilted 9.52° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 16.4 km/s at perihelion and falls to 12 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 McNaught, so its physical size remains unconstrained.

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 438 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.6954 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
4.494 AU
Eccentricity
0.1535
Perihelion
3.804 AU
Aphelion
5.183829 AU
Inclination
9.52°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2454936.5
Mean Anomaly
359.32°

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
0.69541
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.

Keep exploring

Explore asteroids, comets and near-Earth objects with JPL orbital data.