SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 38P

Stephan-Oterma

Stephan-Oterma follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.859 carries it from 1.589 AU at perihelion out to 20.991 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 3,293
Orbital Period · P
37.9 yr
v(q)
32.2 km/s
v(Q)
2.4 km/s
TJ
1.89
Eccentricity · e
0.8593

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 1.589 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 20.991 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 19.402 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 11.29 AU gives an orbital period of 37.9 yr, or about 13,856 days.

The high eccentricity (0.859) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 18.35° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 32.2 km/s at perihelion and falls to 2.4 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 1.89, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

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

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 3,293 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.4798 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 0 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
11.29 AU
Eccentricity
0.8593
Perihelion
1.589 AU
Aphelion
20.991497 AU
Inclination
18.35°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2458266.5
Mean Anomaly
355.66°

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
0.47981
Condition
0
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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