SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 49P

Arend-Rigaux

Arend-Rigaux follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.6 carries it from 1.426 AU at perihelion out to 5.708 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 4,486
Orbital Period · P
6.74 yr
v(q)
31.6 km/s
v(Q)
7.9 km/s
TJ
2.71
Eccentricity · e
0.6002

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 1.426 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 5.708 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 4.282 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 3.567 AU gives an orbital period of 6.74 yr, or about 2,461 days.

The high eccentricity (0.6) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

The orbital plane is tilted 19.06° relative to the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 31.6 km/s at perihelion and falls to 7.9 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.71, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

The measured diameter is 8.48 km, a value from direct size determination rather than from brightness alone.

Its geometric albedo of 0.028 indicates a very dark, carbonaceous-type surface.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 4,486 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.5667 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
3.567 AU
Eccentricity
0.6002
Perihelion
1.426 AU
Aphelion
5.707913 AU
Inclination
19.06°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2457055.5
Mean Anomaly
175.82°

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
8.48 km
Albedo
0.028
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
—

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.56674
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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