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Trans-Neptunian object

2015 NZ42

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(2015 NZ42)

2015 NZ42 is a trans-Neptunian object in the Trans-Neptunian object orbit class. Its orbit takes it from 35.7 AU to 57.56 AU from the Sun; one orbit takes 318.4 years. Orbit from the JPL solution of 14 February 2025.

Where is it now

Distance from Sun
54.576 AU
True anomaly
145.25°
Distance from Earth
53.834 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 2015 NZ42 — 54.576 AU from the Sun 2015 NZ42
Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. 2015 NZ42 is 53.834 AU from Earth today (7.5 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension
23h 07m 21s
Declination
+06° 31′ 16″
Constellation
Pisces
Distance from Earth
53.84 AU
Elongation from the Sun
137.3° — 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
46.627 AU
Eccentricity
0.2344
Inclination
21.69°
Orbital period
318.4 years
Perihelion
35.697 AU
Aphelion
57.557 AU
Longitude of ascending node
321.78°
Argument of periapsis
245.97°
Epoch · J2000
2457232.5
Orbit class · TNO
Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 13,525.6 LD
34.7547 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter)
5.52

Orbit quality

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

Observations used
15
Data arc
36 days
First observed
15 July 2015
Last observed
20 August 2015
Residual RMS
0.08 ″
Solution · Otto Matic
14 February 2025

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H)
7.7

Discovery & classification

TNO

Sources