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Trans-Neptunian object

2015 VJ166

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(2015 VJ166)

2015 VJ166 is a trans-Neptunian object in the Trans-Neptunian object orbit class. Its orbit takes it from 33.6 AU to 62.32 AU from the Sun; one orbit takes 332.2 years. Orbit from the JPL solution of 15 April 2021.

Where is it now

Distance from Sun
35.92 AU
True anomaly
43.93°
Distance from Earth
35.146 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 2015 VJ166 — 35.92 AU from the Sun 2015 VJ166
Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. 2015 VJ166 is 35.146 AU from Earth today (4.9 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension
04h 42m 01s
Declination
+19° 21′ 35″
Constellation
Taurus
Distance from Earth
35.14 AU
Elongation from the Sun
141.44° — 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
47.961 AU
Eccentricity
0.2993
Inclination
3.65°
Orbital period
332.2 years
Perihelion
33.605 AU
Aphelion
62.317 AU
Longitude of ascending node
201.02°
Argument of periapsis
185.74°
Epoch · J2000
2461200.5
Orbit class · TNO
Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 12,690.1 LD
32.608 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter)
5.89

Orbit quality

Orbit reasonably well determined (uncertainty code 4).

Observations used
30
Data arc
3.08 years
First observed
17 November 2014
Last observed
16 December 2017
Residual RMS
0.17 ″
Solution · Otto Matic
15 April 2021

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H)
9.3

Discovery & classification

TNO

Sources