SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 464P

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.281 carries it from 3.372 AU at perihelion out to 6.007 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 175
Orbital Period · P
10.2 yr
v(q)
18.4 km/s
v(Q)
10.3 km/s
TJ
2.8
Eccentricity · e
0.2809

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (3.372 AU) and its farthest (6.007 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 2.635 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 10.2 yr (3,710 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 4.69 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.281 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

A steep inclination of 21.67° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 18.4 km/s at perihelion and falls to 10.3 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.8, 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 175 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.4815 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
4.69 AU
Eccentricity
0.2809
Perihelion
3.372 AU
Aphelion
6.007421 AU
Inclination
21.67°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2459747.5
Mean Anomaly
335.12°

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
0.48152
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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