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List of Solar System objects by greatest aphelion

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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 could take it if the Sun and object were the only objects in the universe. It is implied that the object is orbiting the Sun in a two-body solution without the influence of the planets, passing stars, or the galaxy. 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] For instance, comet Hale-Bopp was last seen in 2013 at magnitude 24[2] and continues to fade, making it invisible to all but the most powerful telescopes.

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.[3] 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 269,000 AU (4.25 ly),[4] followed by Alpha Centauri at about 4.35 light years.[4]

Oort cloud comets orbit the Sun at great distances, but can then be perturbed by passing stars and the galactic tides.[5] 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.[5] It is also possible they may collide with the Sun or a planet.[5]

S/2021 N 1 (the outermost moon of Neptune) takes over 27 years to orbit Neptune, comets can take up to 30 million years to orbit the Sun, and the Sun orbits the Milky Way in about 230 million years (a galactic year).

Satellite orbital period vs parent body orbital period
Satellite Orbital period
(years) 		Parent body Percentage of
parent body
orbital period
S/2021 N 1 27.4 Neptune 16.6%
Oort cloud comet 30 million Sun 13%
Sun 230 million Milky Way N/A

Explanation

Barycentric vs heliocentric orbits

Motion of the Solar System's barycenter relative to the Sun

As many of the objects listed below have some of the most extreme orbits of any objects in the Solar System, describing their orbit precisely can be particularly difficult and sensitive to the time the orbit is defined at. For most objects in the Solar System, a heliocentric reference frame (relative to the gravitational center of the Sun) is sufficient to explain their orbits. However, as the orbits of objects become closer to the Solar System's escape velocity, with long orbital periods on the order of hundreds or thousands of years, a different reference frame is required to describe their orbit: a barycentric reference frame. A barycentric reference frame measures the asteroid's orbit relative to the gravitational center of the entire Solar System, rather than just the Sun. Mostly due to the influence of the outer gas giants, the Solar System barycenter varies by up to twice the radius of the Sun.

This difference in position can lead to significant changes in the orbits of long-period comets and distant asteroids. Many comets have hyperbolic (unbound) orbits in a heliocentric reference frame, but in a barycentric reference frame have much more firmly bound orbits, with only a small handful remaining truly hyperbolic.

Eccentricity and Vinf

The orbital parameter used to describe how non-circular an object's orbit is, is eccentricity (e). An object with an e of 0 has a perfectly circular orbit, with its perihelion distance being just as close to the Sun as its aphelion distance. An object with an e of between 0 and 1 will have an elliptical orbit, with, for instance, an object with an e of 0.5 having a perihelion twice as close to the Sun as its aphelion. As an object's e approaches 1, its orbit will be more and more elongated before, and at e=1, the object's orbit will be parabolic and unbound to the Solar System (i.e. not returning for another orbit). An e greater than 1 will be hyperbolic and still be unbound to the Solar System.

Although it describes how "unbound" an object's orbit is, eccentricity does not necessarily reflect how high an incoming velocity said object had before entering the Solar System (a parameter known as Vinfinity, or Vinf). A clear example of this is the eccentricities of the two known Interstellar objects as of October 2019, 1I/'Oumuamua. and 2I/Borisov. 'Oumuamua had an incoming Vinf of 26.5 kilometres per second (59,000 mph), but due to its low perihelion distance of only 0.255 au, it had an eccentricity of 1.200. However, Borisov's Vinf was only slightly higher, at 32.3 km/s (72,000 mph), but due to its higher perihelion distance of ~2.003 au, its eccentricity was a comparably higher 3.340. In practice, no object originating from the Solar System should have an incoming heliocentric eccentricity much higher than 1, and should rarely have an incoming barycentric eccentricity of above 1, as that would imply that the object had originated from an indefinitely far distance from the Sun.

Orbital epochs

Due to having the most eccentric orbits of any Solar System body, a comet's orbit typically intersects one or more of the planets in the Solar System. As a result, the orbit of a comet is frequently perturbed significantly, even over the course of a single pass through the inner Solar System. Due to the changing orbit, it's necessary to provide a calculation of the orbit of the comet (or similarly orbiting body) both before and after entering the inner Solar System. For example, Comet ISON was ~312 au from the Sun in 1600, and its remnants will be ~431 au from the Sun in 2400, both well outside of any significant gravitational influence from the planets.

Comets with greatest aphelion (2 body heliocentric)

C/1910 A1 during its 1910 close approach
Proxima Centauri is 271,000 AU or 4.25 light years away
Object Heliocentric[1]
Aphelion (Q)
(Sun)
Perihelion epoch 		Barycentric
Aphelion (AD)
(Sun+Jupiter)
epoch 2200 		Barycentric
Aphelion
epoch 1800
C/2004 R2 (ASAS) 3,238,164 AU (51 ly) 13000 AU[6] 4000 AU
C/2015 O1 (PANSTARRS) 1,302,400 AU (21 ly) 15000 AU[7] 60000 AU
C/2012 S4 (PANSTARRS) 504,443 AU (8.0 ly) 5700 AU[8] 8400 AU
C/2012 CH17 (MOSS) 279,825 AU (4.4 ly) 7283 AU 26000 AU
C/2008 C1 (Chen-Gao) 203,253 AU (3.2 ly) 3822 AU 520 AU
C/1992 J1 (Spacewatch) 226,867 AU (3.6 ly) 3700 AU 75000 AU
C/2007 N3 (Lulin) 144,828 AU (2.3 ly) 2419 AU 64000 AU
C/2017 T2 (PANSTARRS) 117,212 AU (1.9 ly) 2975 AU 84000 AU
C/1937 N1 (Finsler) 115,031 AU (1.8 ly) 7121 AU 16000 AU
C/1972 X1 (Araya) 108,011 AU (1.7 ly) 5630 AU 4200 AU
C/2014 R3 (PANSTARRS) 80,260 AU (1.3 ly) 12841 AU 19000 AU
C/2015 O1 (PANSTARRS) 77,092 AU (1.2 ly) 21753 AU 52000 AU
C/2001 C1 (LINEAR) 76,230 AU (1.2 ly) ejection 98000 AU
C/2002 J4 (NEAT) 57,793 AU (0.91 ly) ejection 59000 AU
C/1958 D1 (Burnham) 46,408 AU (0.73 ly) 1110 AU 7800 AU
C/1986 V1 (Sorrells) 37,825 AU (0.60 ly) 8946 AU 5400 AU
C/2005 G1 (LINEAR) 37,498 AU (0.59 ly) 40572 AU 110000 AU
C/2006 W3 (Christensen) 35,975 AU (0.57 ly) 8212 AU 5300 AU
C/2009 W2 (Boattini) 31,059 AU (0.49 ly) 3847 AU 4200 AU
C/2005 L3 (McNaught) 26,779 AU (0.42 ly) 6851 AU 33000 AU
C/2004 YJ35 (LINEAR) 26,433 AU (0.42 ly) 2480 AU 75000 AU
C/2003 H3 (NEAT) 26,340 AU (0.42 ly) ejection 4900 AU
C/2010 L3 (Catalina) 25,609 AU (0.40 ly) 21094 AU 12000 AU
C/1902 R1 (Perrine) 25,066 AU (0.40 ly) 2306 AU 74000 AU
C/1889 G1 (Barnard) 24,784 AU (0.39 ly) 1575 AU 2100 AU
C/2007 VO53 (Spacewatch) 24,383 AU (0.39 ly) 16835 AU 22000 AU

Distant comets with long observation arcs and/or barycentric

Comet West in 1976

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.

Minor planets

See also: List of trans-Neptunian objects and List of Solar System objects most distant from the Sun
Number of minor planets (January 2024)
Aphelion
in AU 		Number of minor planets
400-800
36
800-1200
15
1200-1600
7
1600-2000
4
2000-2400
5
2400-2800
2
2800+
3

A large number of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) – minor planets orbiting beyond the orbit of Neptune – have been discovered in recent years. Many TNOs have orbits that take them far beyond Pluto's aphelion of 49.3 AU. Some of these TNOs with an extreme aphelion are detached objects such as 2010 GB174, which always reside in the outermost region of the Solar System, while for other TNOs, the extreme aphelion is due to an exceptionally high eccentricity such as for 2005 VX3, which orbits the Sun at a distance between 4.1 (closer than Jupiter) and 2200 AU (70 times farther from the Sun than Neptune). The following is a list of minor planets with the largest aphelion in descending order.[16]

Minor planets with a heliocentric aphelion greater than 400 AU

The following group of bodies have orbits with an aphelion above 400 AU, with 1-sigma uncertainties given to two significant digits. As of May 2024, there are 73 such bodies.[16]

Orbits of three known sednoids: Sedna, 2012 VP113, and Leleākūhonua
Object Aphelion (AU) Absolute Magnitude (H) Ref
A/2020 M4 29020.06 ±420 14.01 ±0.28 MPC · JPL
2010 LN135 20162.05 ±6000 14.08 MPC · JPL
2024 D1 3875.88 ±2456 11.45 ±0.52 MPC · JPL
2014 FE72 3559.58 ±220 6.19 MPC · JPL
541132 Leleākūhonua 2713.25 ±360 5.57 ±0.13 MPC · JPL
2017 MB7 2419.67 ±320 14.21 ±0.33 MPC · JPL
2021 RR205 2314.82 ±51 6.74±0.12 MPC · JPL
2013 BL76 2261.12 ±2.4 10.88 MPC · JPL
A/2019 N2 2115.35 ±690 12.80±0.43 MPC · JPL
2019 EU5 2108.10 ±450 6.35 ±0.14 MPC · JPL
(308933) 2006 SQ372 2062.42 ±1.6 7.94 MPC · JPL
A/2022 B3 1957.25 ±11 16.56 ±0.76 MPC · JPL
2012 DR30 1877.78 ±1.3 7.12 MPC · JPL
2013 SY99 1718.93 ±50 6.84 MPC · JPL
2005 VX3 1717.16 ±300 14.10 MPC · JPL
2021 DK18 1418.77 ±320 6.72 ±0.24 MPC · JPL
A/2019 G2 1397.41 ±1.7 16.31 ±0.55 MPC · JPL
A/2021 E4 1388.62 ±1.2 14.26 ±0.45 MPC · JPL
A/2018 W3 1341.59 ±10 10.70 ±0.29 MPC · JPL
(87269) 2000 OO67 1326.78 ±0.76 9.10 MPC · JPL
2002 RN109 1295.34 ±51 15.30 MPC · JPL
2015 KG163 1241.82 ±7.2 8.20 MPC · JPL
(523622) 2007 TG422 1118.81 ±0.64 6.47 MPC · JPL
2015 SA57 1052.34 ±0.51 9.92 ±0.37 MPC · JPL
2013 GW141 1032.63 ±0.62 8.16 ±0.35 MPC · JPL
2012 KA51 1015.61 ±9.9 11.74 ±0.79 MPC · JPL
2013 RA109 1008.19 ±2.7 6.23 ±0.22 MPC · JPL
90377 Sedna (2003 VB12) 1006.90±2.7 1.50 MPC · JPL
2020 QN6 990.67 ±0.62 14.55 ±0.37 MPC · JPL
2014 GQ101 986.20 ±0.37 10.56 ±0.43 MPC · JPL
2015 BP519 933.55 ±2.5 4.34 MPC · JPL
2015 RX245 888.63 ±8.1 6.20 MPC · JPL
2015 AD298 859.76 ±4.7 8.38 ±0.52 MPC · JPL
2015 FK37 853.72 ±1.7 14.50 ±0.26 MPC · JPL
2020 YR3 846.98 ±0.49 9.30 ±0.42 MPC · JPL
2010 BK118 828.61 ±0.46 10.30 MPC · JPL
2007 DA61 816.45 ±11 14.90 ±0.47 MPC · JPL
2013 RF98 776.26 ±30 8.70 MPC · JPL
2014 SX403 773.46 ±4.1 7.06 ±0.32 MPC · JPL
(418993) 2009 MS9 767.45 ±0.085 9.74 MPC · JPL
2013 AZ60 762.63 ±0.1 10.30 MPC · JPL
2014 RK86 753.12 ±16 8.22 ±0.31 MPC · JPL
2018 MP8 732.44 ±7.7 15.30 MPC · JPL
2016 SD106 731.06±7.6 6.70 ±0.33 MPC · JPL
2014 TU115 704.80 ±2.0 7.86 ±0.44 MPC · JPL
2021 CP5 689.35±0.57 12.23 ±0.41 MPC · JPL
2022 LO17 684.64 ±270000 8.52 ±0.10 MPC · JPL
A/2020 H9 680.42 ±1.1 17.70 ±0.34 MPC · JPL
474640 Alicanto 663.36 ±2.3 6.46 MPC · JPL
2013 SL102 653.9 ±0.91 7.13 ±0.33 MPC · JPL
2017 UR52 650.82 ±140 21.20 MPC · JPL
2013 FL28 648.32 ±0.27 8.07 ±0.44 MPC · JPL
2021 PN72 637.57 ±0.22 12.04 ±0.18 MPC · JPL
2010 GB174 630.26 ±14 6.74 MPC · JPL
2014 SR349 601.90 ±2.4 6.46 MPC · JPL
2011 OR17 579.67 ±0.35 13.10 MPC · JPL
(336756) 2010 NV1 570.60 ±0.17 10.55 MPC · JPL
2014 WB556 560.73 ±1.2 7.26 ±0.27 MPC · JPL
2015 GT50 554.67 ±4.5 8.50 MPC · JPL
1996 PW 552.06 ±0.56 13.90 MPC · JPL
2018 VM35 545.94 ±34 7.76 ±0.05 MPC · JPL
(523719) 2014 LM28 543.67 ±0.15 9.95 MPC · JPL
2013 FT28 519.49 ±2.7 7.20 MPC · JPL
2017 SN33 511.63 ±16 17.90 MPC · JPL
2015 DM319 505.11 ±2.3 8.78 ±0.11 MPC · JPL
2016 SA59 484.56 ±1.2 7.81 ±0.36 MPC · JPL
(582301) 2015 RM306 480.63 ±0.028 11.06 ±0.44 MPC · JPL
2012 VP113 467.17 ±0.99 4.09 MPC · JPL
2016 SG58 464.64±0.39 7.50 ±0.41 MPC · JPL
2015 RY245 449.66 ±9.0 8.90 MPC · JPL
A/2021 E2 430.46 ±8.3 17.90 ±0.44 MPC · JPL
2014 QW510 411.63 ±0.32 7.53 ±0.24 MPC · JPL
(148209) 2000 CR105 400.29 ±1.2 6.14 MPC · JPL

Greatest barycentric aphelion

The following asteroids have an incoming barycentric aphelion of at least 1000 AU.[citation needed]

name diameter (km) (assumed) perihelion (AU) Barycentric aphelion (AU) (1800) Barycentric aphelion (AU) (2200) Change (%)
A/2020 M4 5.2 5.95 5580 4500 -24
2014 FE72 206.8 36.33 3071 3060 -0.36
2002 RN109 3.0 2.691 2320 1190 -49
2005 VX3 5.2 4.106 2140 1700 -21
541132 Leleākūhonua 272.6 65.08 2280 2280 0
A/2022 B3 1.9 3.708 2100 2540 +21
2017 MB7 5.2 4.456 2040 2840 +28
2012 DR30 130.5 14.57 2000 2050 +2.4
2013 BL76 23.7 8.355 1850 1920 +3.6
(308933) 2006 SQ372 94.5 24.14 1540 1560 +1.3
2013 SY99 156.8 50.03 1410 1410 0
2015 KG163 78.6 40.50 1320 1320 0
2013 AZ60 29.9 7.927 1260 827 -34
2007 DA61 3.6 2.677 1190 852 -28
2013 GW141 78.6 23.52 1130 1120 -0.9
(87269) 2000 OO67 49.6 20.73 1120 1070 -4.5

Comparison

The orbit of Sedna, 2012 VP113, Leleākūhonua, and other very distant objects along with the predicted orbit of Planet Nine. The three sednoids (pink) along with the red-colored extreme trans-Neptunian object (eTNO) orbits are suspected to be aligned with the hypothetical Planet Nine while the blue-colored eTNO orbits are anti-aligned. The highly elongated orbits colored brown include centaurs and damocloids with large aphelion distances over 200 AU.

See also

About comets
Objects of interest
Others
  • Oort cloud – Distant planetesimals in the Solar System
  • Kuiper belt – Area of the Solar System beyond the planets, comprising small bodies
  • Sednoid – Group of Trans-Neptunian objects
  • Detached object – Dynamical class of minor planets

References

  1. ^ a b JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine: Q > 20000 (au)
  2. ^ "C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  3. ^ Chebotarev, G.A. (1964), "Gravitational Spheres of the Major Planets, Moon and Sun", Soviet Astronomy, 7 (5): 618–622, Bibcode:1964SvA.....7..618C
  4. ^ a b NASA – Imagine the Universe: The Nearest Star
  5. ^ a b c Frequently Asked Questions About General Astronomy
  6. ^ Barycentric solution for 2004 R2
  7. ^ Barycentric solution for 2015 O1
  8. ^ Barycentric solution for 2012 S4
  9. ^ 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)
  10. ^ 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)
  11. ^ 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)
  12. ^ Horizons output (2011-01-30). "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for Comet Hyakutake (C/1996 B2)". Retrieved 2011-01-30. (Horizons)
  13. ^ 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)
  14. ^ 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)
  15. ^ 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)
  16. ^ a b "Small-Body Database Query". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
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