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Trans-Neptunian object

612176

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612176 (2000 QL251)

612176 is a trans-Neptunian object in the Trans-Neptunian object orbit class. Its orbit takes it from 37.55 AU to 58.17 AU from the Sun; one orbit takes 331.1 years. Discovered 25 August 2000 by M. W. Buie, S. D. Kern. Orbit from the JPL solution of 13 April 2022.

Where is it now

Distance from Sun
42.033 AU
True anomaly
66.51°
Distance from Earth
41.04 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 612176 — 42.033 AU from the Sun 612176
Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. 612176 is 41.04 AU from Earth today (5.7 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension
01h 49m 22s
Declination
+12° 12′ 08″
Constellation
Aries
Distance from Earth
41.04 AU
Elongation from the Sun
176.51° — near opposition — up most of the night

Visible from both hemispheres.

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
47.862 AU
Eccentricity
0.2154
Inclination
3.67°
Orbital period
331.1 years
Perihelion
37.554 AU
Aphelion
58.171 AU
Longitude of ascending node
223.34°
Argument of periapsis
99.94°
Epoch · J2000
2461200.5
Orbit class · TNO
Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 14,221.4 LD
36.5426 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter)
6.02

Orbit quality

Orbit reasonably well determined (uncertainty code 4).

Observations used
55
Data arc
19.17 years
First observed
25 August 2000
Last observed
26 October 2019
Residual RMS
0.26 ″
Solution · Otto Matic
13 April 2022

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H)
6.63

Discovery & classification

Discovered by
M. W. Buie, S. D. Kern
Discovery date
25 August 2000
Discovery site
Cerro Tololo

Also known as 2000 QL251

TNO

Sources