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Trans-Neptunian object

2003 LD9

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(2003 LD9)

2003 LD9 is a trans-Neptunian object in the Trans-Neptunian object orbit class. Its orbit takes it from 39 AU to 55.07 AU from the Sun; one orbit takes 322.6 years. Orbit from the JPL solution of 14 April 2021.

Where is it now

Distance from Sun
43.715 AU
True anomaly
74.86°
Distance from Earth
44.07 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 2003 LD9 — 43.715 AU from the Sun 2003 LD9
Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. 2003 LD9 is 44.07 AU from Earth today (6.1 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension
18h 40m 45s
Declination
-18° 19′ 38″
Constellation
Sagittarius
Distance from Earth
44.08 AU
Elongation from the Sun
67.58° — well clear of the Sun

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
47.037 AU
Eccentricity
0.1708
Inclination
6.98°
Orbital period
322.6 years
Perihelion
39.004 AU
Aphelion
55.07 AU
Longitude of ascending node
237.49°
Argument of periapsis
328.77°
Epoch · J2000
2461200.5
Orbit class · TNO
Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 14,789.4 LD
38.0022 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter)
5.992

Orbit quality

Orbit reasonably well determined (uncertainty code 5).

Observations used
15
Data arc
16.01 years
First observed
1 June 2003
Last observed
6 June 2019
Residual RMS
0.34 ″
Solution · Otto Matic
14 April 2021

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H)
6.8

Discovery & classification

TNO

Sources