SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 79P-B

du Toit-Hartley

du Toit-Hartley follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.6 carries it from 1.194 AU at perihelion out to 4.768 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 17
Orbital Period · P
5.15 yr
v(q)
34.5 km/s
v(Q)
8.6 km/s
TJ
2.96
Eccentricity · e
0.5996

Orbit and dynamics

Between its closest point (1.194 AU) and its farthest (4.768 AU), the heliocentric distance changes by 3.574 AU over every revolution.

One full revolution takes 5.15 yr (1,880 days), computed from the semi-major axis of 2.981 AU.

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

Its inclination of 2.94° keeps it close to the plane of the ecliptic.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 34.5 km/s at perihelion and falls to 8.6 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 2.96, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

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

Observation record and orbit quality

Astrometry from 17 individual observations underpins this orbit; the fit leaves an RMS residual of 0.8071 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 9 signals a poorly constrained orbit, so its future path should be treated as provisional.

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
2.981 AU
Eccentricity
0.5996
Perihelion
1.194 AU
Aphelion
4.768408 AU
Inclination
2.94°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2445018.5
Mean Anomaly
352.17°

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
0.80709
Condition
9
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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