List of Solar System objects by greatest aphelion

The orbit of Sedna lies well beyond these objects, and extends many times their distances from the Sun
The orbit of Sedna (red) set against the orbits of outer Solar System objects (Pluto's orbit is purple).

This is a list of Solar System objects by greatest aphelion or the greatest distance from the Sun that the orbit takes it. For the purposes of this list it is implied that the object is orbiting the Sun in a two-body solution without influence of the planets or passing stars. The aphelion can change significantly due to the gravitational influence of planets and other stars. Most of these objects are comets on a calculated path and may not be directly observable.[1]

The maximum extent of the region in which the Sun's gravitational field is dominant, the Hill sphere), may extend to 230,000 astronomical units (3.6 light-years) as calculated in the 1960s.[2] But any comet currently more than about 150,000 AU (2 ly) from the Sun can be considered lost to the interstellar medium. The nearest known star is Proxima Centauri at 271,000 AU which is 4.22 light years,[3] followed by Alpha Centauri at about 4.35 light years away according to NASA.[3]

Comets are thought to orbit the Sun at great distances, but then be perturbed by passing stars and the galactic tides.[4] As they come into or leave the inner Solar System they may have their orbit changed by the planets, or alternatively be ejected from the Solar System.[4] It is also possible they may collide with the Sun or a planet.[4]

Comets with greatest aphelion (2 body heliocentric)

There can be considerable variation for highly eccentric orbits based on the epoch (date) and whether you calculate a heliocentric or barycentric solution. The aphelion point for heliocentric solutions can be highly inaccurate for objects with an orbital eccentricity approaching 1 especially when values are calculated while the object is near perihelion and has not left the planetary region of the Solar System.

C/1910 A1 during it 1910 close approach
Proxima Centauri is 271,000 AU or 4.25 light years away

Distant periodic comets with well-known aphelion

The orbital paths of Halley, outlined in blue, against the orbits of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, outlined in red.

These can also change significantly such as if perturbed by Jupiter

The orbital paths of three comets, outlined in turquoise, against the orbits of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, outlined in green
The orbits of three periodic comets, Halley, Borrelly and Ikeya–Zhang, set against the orbits of the outer planets. Ikeya–Zhang is to the right.

See also List of Halley-type comets

Distant comets with long observation arcs and/or barycentric

Examples of comets with a more well determined orbit. Comets are extremely small relative to other bodies and hard to observe once they stop outgassing (see Coma (cometary)). Because they are typically discovered close to the Sun, it will take some time even thousands of years for them to actually travel out to great distances. The Whipple proposal might be able to detect Oort cloud objects at great distances, but probably not a particular object.

Comet West in 1976

Non-comet

Some examples of objects not recorded as comets with great aphelions. (See also List of trans-Neptunian objects, section "Trans-Neptunian objects", and use sort feature on column "Q" which is aphelion in AU if available.)

Approximate number of bodies
Bin Number of bodies
200–300
12
300–400
7
400–500
5
500–600
4
600–700
4
700–800
1
800–900
0
900–1000
4
1000–2000
4
Beyond 2000
3
Planet Earth is 1 AU from the Sun

90–199

65489 Ceto (2003 FX128)
(225088) 2007 OR10

<200 AU

90–100

The orbit of Eris (blue) compared to those of Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (white/gray). The arcs below the ecliptic are plotted in darker colors, and the red dot is the Sun. The diagram on the left is a polar view whereas the diagrams on the right are different views from the ecliptic.

Comparison

Sedna compared to some other very distant orbiting bodies. Including 90377 Sedna, 2015 DB216 (orbit wrong), 2000 OO67, 2004 VN112, 2005 VX3, 2006 SQ372, 2007 TG422, 2007 DA61, 2009 MS9, 2010 GB174, 2010 NV1, 2010 BK118, 2012 DR30, 2012 VP113, 2013 BL76, 2013 AZ60, 2013 RF98, 2015 ER61

See also

About comets
Objects of interest
Additional links

References

  1. 1 2 3 JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine
  2. ↑ Chebotarev, G.A. (1964), "Gravitational Spheres of the Major Planets, Moon and Sun", Soviet Astronomy 7 (5): 618–622, Bibcode:1964SvA.....7..618C, retrieved 2010-03-24
  3. 1 2 3 NASA – Imagine the Universe: The Nearest Star
  4. 1 2 3 Frequently Asked Questions About General Astronomy
  5. ↑ Comet C/2012 S4 (PANSTARRS) at the JPL Small Body Database
  6. ↑ Special Astronomy Units
  7. 1 2 3 Furthest SSB
  8. ↑ Horizons output. "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/1975 V1-A (West)". Retrieved 2011-02-01. (Solution using the Solar System Barycenter. Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
  9. ↑ Horizons output. "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/1999 F1 (Catalina)". Retrieved 2011-03-07. (Solution using the Solar System Barycenter and barycentric coordinates. Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
  10. ↑ Horizons output. "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/2012 S4 (PANSTARRS)". Retrieved 2015-09-26. (Solution using the Solar System Barycenter and barycentric coordinates. Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
  11. ↑ Horizons output (2011-01-30). "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet Hyakutake (C/1996 B2)". Retrieved 2011-01-30. (Horizons)
  12. ↑ Horizons output. "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/1910 A1 (Great January comet)". Retrieved 2011-02-07. (Solution using the Solar System Barycenter and barycentric coordinates. Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
  13. ↑ Horizons output. "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet C/1992 J1 (Spacewatch)". Retrieved 7 October 2012. (Solution using the Solar System Barycenter and barycentric coordinates. Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
  14. ↑ Horizons output. "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet Lulin (C/2007 N3)". Retrieved 2011-01-30. (Solution using the Solar System Barycenter. Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
  15. ↑ Marc W. Buie. "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 308933" (2010-09-17 using 64 of 65 observations over 5.01 years). SwRI (Space Science Department). Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  16. 1 2 JPL asteroids aphelion greater than 800 AU
  17. ↑ Marc W. Buie. "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 07TG422" (2009-09-28 using 32 of 32 observations). SwRI (Space Science Department). Retrieved 2011-01-30.
  18. ↑ Sedna @ Minor Planet Center
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 JPL asteroids greater than 200 AU aphelion (Q)
  20. ↑ Marc W. Buie (2007-11-08). "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 04VN112". SwRI (Space Science Department). Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  21. ↑ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2004 VN112)". Retrieved 2011-05-20.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 JPL database down to 100 AU aphelion minor planets

External links

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