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Trans-Neptunian object

2004 VL78

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(2004 VL78)

Where is it now

Distance from Sun
32.365 AU
True anomaly
50.42°
Distance from Earth
32.114 AU
As of
16 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 — 0.997 AU from the Sun Earth 2004 VL78 — 32.365 AU from the Sun 2004 VL78
Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. 2004 VL78 is 32.114 AU from Earth today (4.5 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension
06h 35m 28s
Declination
+07° 39′ 54″
Constellation
Monoceros
Distance from Earth
32.11 AU
Elongation from the Sun
104.12° — well clear of the Sun

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
39.289 AU
Eccentricity
0.2326
Inclination
19.26°
Orbital period
246.3 years
Perihelion
30.149 AU
Aphelion
48.429 AU
Longitude of ascending node
225.47°
Argument of periapsis
183.05°
Epoch · J2000
2453327.5
Orbit class · TNO
Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 11,347.7 LD
29.1586 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter)
5.178

Orbit quality

Orbit very uncertain — the object may be effectively lost (uncertainty code 9).

Observations used
4
Data arc
7 days
First observed
11 November 2004
Last observed
18 November 2004
Residual RMS
0.17 ″
Solution · Otto Matic
14 April 2021

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H)
8.39

Discovery & classification

TNO

Sources