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Trans-Neptunian object

2016 SJ56

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(2016 SJ56)

2016 SJ56 is a trans-Neptunian object in the Trans-Neptunian object orbit class. Its orbit takes it from 35.5 AU to 60.88 AU from the Sun; one orbit takes 334.6 years. Orbit from the JPL solution of 12 October 2024.

Where is it now

Distance from Sun
35.726 AU
True anomaly
345.93°
Distance from Earth
34.803 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 2016 SJ56 — 35.726 AU from the Sun 2016 SJ56
Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. 2016 SJ56 is 34.803 AU from Earth today (4.8 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension
03h 22m 06s
Declination
+01° 54′ 11″
Constellation
Cetus
Distance from Earth
34.8 AU
Elongation from the Sun
158.01° — 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
48.192 AU
Eccentricity
0.2633
Inclination
15.64°
Orbital period
334.6 years
Perihelion
35.503 AU
Aphelion
60.882 AU
Longitude of ascending node
141.14°
Argument of periapsis
281.21°
Epoch · J2000
2457406.5
Orbit class · TNO
Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 13,446.5 LD
34.5515 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter)
5.762

Orbit quality

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

Observations used
19
Data arc
355 days
First observed
10 October 2015
Last observed
29 September 2016
Residual RMS
0.09 ″
Solution · Otto Matic
12 October 2024

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H)
8.45

Discovery & classification

Also known as 2015 TA363

TNO

Sources