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Trans-Neptunian object

535986

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535986 (2015 BN518)

535986 is a trans-Neptunian object in the Trans-Neptunian object orbit class. Its orbit takes it from 36.11 AU to 57.35 AU from the Sun; one orbit takes 319.4 years. Discovered 18 January 2015 by Pan-STARRS 1. Orbit from the JPL solution of 21 February 2024.

Where is it now

Distance from Sun
36.535 AU
True anomaly
339.48°
Distance from Earth
36.777 AU
As of
24 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 535986 — 36.535 AU from the Sun 535986
Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. 535986 is 36.777 AU from Earth today (5.1 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension
09h 13m 20s
Declination
+15° 01′ 35″
Constellation
Cancer
Distance from Earth
36.76 AU
Elongation from the Sun
75.85° — well clear of the Sun

Favours the northern hemisphere; low or below the horizon from far south.

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
46.73 AU
Eccentricity
0.2274
Inclination
22.48°
Orbital period
319.4 years
Perihelion
36.105 AU
Aphelion
57.354 AU
Longitude of ascending node
312.23°
Argument of periapsis
203.16°
Epoch · J2000
2461200.5
Orbit class · TNO
Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 13,670.7 LD
35.1277 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter)
5.504

Orbit quality

Orbit very well determined (uncertainty code 2).

Observations used
101
Data arc
11.22 years
First observed
31 October 2012
Last observed
19 January 2024
Residual RMS
0.64 ″
Solution · Otto Matic
21 February 2024

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H)
6.85

Discovery & classification

Discovered by
Pan-STARRS 1
Discovery date
18 January 2015
Discovery site
Haleakala

Also known as 2015 BN518

TNO

Sources