SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 417P

NEOWISE

NEOWISE follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.555 carries it from 1.492 AU at perihelion out to 5.208 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 277
Orbital Period · P
6.13 yr
v(q)
30.4 km/s
v(Q)
8.7 km/s
TJ
2.88
Eccentricity · e
0.5546

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.492 AU) and its farthest (5.208 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 3.716 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 6.13 yr (2,240 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 3.35 AU.

The high eccentricity (0.555) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 8.13° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 30.4 km/s at perihelion and falls to 8.7 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.88, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

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

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 277 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4777 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
3.35 AU
Eccentricity
0.5546
Perihelion
1.492 AU
Aphelion
5.20791 AU
Inclination
8.13°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2458510.5
Mean Anomaly
228.87°

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
0.47773
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.

Keep exploring

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