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Trans-Neptunian object

278361

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278361 (2007 JJ43)

278361 is a trans-Neptunian object in the Trans-Neptunian object orbit class. Its orbit takes it from 40.33 AU to 55.17 AU from the Sun; one orbit takes 330 years. Discovered 14 May 2007 by M. E. Schwamb, M. E. Brown, D. Rabinowitz. Orbit from the JPL solution of 21 February 2024.

Where is it now

Distance from Sun
40.533 AU
True anomaly
344.31°
Distance from Earth
41.142 AU
As of
25 October 2026

Two-body Kepler propagation — accurate to ~0.1% for major planets over decades, less so for highly-perturbed bodies. Use JPL Horizons for high precision.

Sun Earth — 0.994 AU from the Sun Earth 278361 — 40.533 AU from the Sun 278361
Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. 278361 is 41.142 AU from Earth today (5.7 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension
17h 33m 19s
Declination
-24° 52′ 10″
Constellation
Ophiuchus
Distance from Earth
41.15 AU
Elongation from the Sun
50.93° — near the Sun — look low at dusk or dawn

Favours the southern hemisphere; low or below the horizon from far north.

From your location

See how high it is right now, whether it is up after civil twilight, and when it rises and sets where you are.

How do I find my coordinates?

Google Maps on a computer

  1. Right-click the spot where you'll be observing.
  2. The first line of the menu is the coordinates, e.g. 51.50722, -0.12758 — click it and they're copied.
  3. Paste them above.

Google Maps on a phone

  1. Press and hold the spot to drop a pin.
  2. The coordinates appear in the search bar (or on the pin's card) — tap to copy, then paste above.

A full Google Maps link works too, but the short maps.app.goo.gl share links don't carry coordinates — copy the numbers instead. We round to about a kilometre; that's all the sky calculation needs.

Know your what3words address? Paste it, e.g. ///filled.count.soap. This is optional — the three words are sent to what3words to convert them, and we don't store the address or the result.

Your location stays in your browser and is sent only for this calculation. Using a what3words address is optional; if you do, the three words go to what3words to be converted and we don't record them. Set a location first, then you can save an email alert for this object. See our privacy policy.

Two-body approximation, good to about a degree for the planets — enough to find the constellation and know whether it is up.

Orbital elements

Semi-major axis
47.749 AU
Eccentricity
0.1554
Inclination
12.09°
Orbital period
330 years
Perihelion
40.33 AU
Aphelion
55.169 AU
Longitude of ascending node
272.5°
Argument of periapsis
8.05°
Epoch · J2000
2461200.5
Orbit class · TNO
Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 15,299.7 LD
39.3133 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter)
5.961

Orbit quality

Orbit very well determined (uncertainty code 2).

Observations used
209
Data arc
20.94 years
First observed
10 May 2002
Last observed
17 April 2023
Residual RMS
0.38 ″
Solution · Otto Matic
21 February 2024

Physical properties

Rotation period
6.04 hours

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H)
4.49

Discovery & classification

Discovered by
M. E. Schwamb, M. E. Brown, D. Rabinowitz
Discovery date
14 May 2007
Discovery site
Palomar Mountain

Also known as 2007 JJ43

TNO

Sources