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Trans-Neptunian object

2017 FE159

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(2017 FE159)

Where is it now

Distance from Sun
47.88 AU
True anomaly
197.06°
Distance from Earth
48.832 AU
As of
22 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 — 0.995 AU from the Sun Earth 2017 FE159 — 47.88 AU from the Sun 2017 FE159
Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. 2017 FE159 is 48.832 AU from Earth today (6.8 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension
12h 48m 33s
Declination
-03° 37′ 24″
Constellation
Virgo
Distance from Earth
48.83 AU
Elongation from the Sun
17.11° — too close to the Sun to observe

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
45.31 AU
Eccentricity
0.0597
Inclination
1.5°
Orbital period
305 years
Perihelion
42.605 AU
Aphelion
48.014 AU
Longitude of ascending node
108.35°
Argument of periapsis
246.82°
Epoch · J2000
2461200.5
Orbit class · TNO
Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 16,189.5 LD
41.5997 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter)
6.004

Orbit quality

Orbit reasonably well determined (uncertainty code 5).

Observations used
19
Data arc
13 years
First observed
14 March 2013
Last observed
13 March 2026
Residual RMS
0.14 ″
Solution · Otto Matic
5 June 2026

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H)
6.28

Discovery & classification

Also known as 2015 FN401

TNO

Sources