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Trans-Neptunian object

612051

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612051 (1997 SZ10)

612051 is a trans-Neptunian object in the Trans-Neptunian object orbit class. Its orbit takes it from 30.65 AU to 65.73 AU from the Sun; one orbit takes 334.5 years. Discovered 24 September 1997 by D. C. Jewitt. Orbit from the JPL solution of 13 April 2022.

Where is it now

Distance from Sun
38.903 AU
True anomaly
78.19°
Distance from Earth
38.12 AU
As of
26 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 612051 — 38.903 AU from the Sun 612051
Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. 612051 is 38.12 AU from Earth today (5.3 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension
04h 28m 48s
Declination
+32° 24′ 02″
Constellation
Perseus
Distance from Earth
38.12 AU
Elongation from the Sun
141.52° — 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
48.188 AU
Eccentricity
0.364
Inclination
11.8°
Orbital period
334.5 years
Perihelion
30.646 AU
Aphelion
65.73 AU
Longitude of ascending node
9.46°
Argument of periapsis
342.54°
Epoch · J2000
2461200.5
Orbit class · TNO
Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 11,535.7 LD
29.6417 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter)
5.657

Orbit quality

Orbit reasonably well determined (uncertainty code 4).

Observations used
29
Data arc
11.13 years
First observed
7 September 1997
Last observed
24 October 2008
Residual RMS
0.43 ″
Solution · Otto Matic
13 April 2022

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H)
8.56

Discovery & classification

Discovered by
D. C. Jewitt
Discovery date
24 September 1997
Discovery site
Maunakea

Also known as 1997 SZ10

TNO

Sources