SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 516P

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.324 carries it from 2.461 AU at perihelion out to 4.814 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 96
Orbital Period · P
6.94 yr
v(q)
21.8 km/s
v(Q)
11.2 km/s
TJ
3.01
Eccentricity · e
0.3235

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (2.461 AU) and its farthest (4.814 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 2.353 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 6.94 yr (2,533 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 3.637 AU.

An eccentricity of 0.324 makes the orbit moderately elongated.

Its inclination of 4.01° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 21.8 km/s at perihelion and falls to 11.2 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 3.01, 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 96 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.5419 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
3.637 AU
Eccentricity
0.3235
Perihelion
2.461 AU
Aphelion
4.81357 AU
Inclination
4.01°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2460119.5
Mean Anomaly
197.25°

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
0.54186
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.

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