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Trans-Neptunian object

2015 QW23

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(2015 QW23)

2015 QW23 is a trans-Neptunian object in the Trans-Neptunian object orbit class. Its orbit takes it from 45.42 AU to 49.18 AU from the Sun; one orbit takes 325.3 years. Orbit from the JPL solution of 28 April 2022.

Where is it now

Distance from Sun
48.396 AU
True anomaly
127.43°
Distance from Earth
48.227 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 QW23 — 48.396 AU from the Sun 2015 QW23
Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. 2015 QW23 is 48.227 AU from Earth today (6.7 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension
21h 14m 20s
Declination
-30° 11′ 47″
Constellation
Microscopium
Distance from Earth
48.23 AU
Elongation from the Sun
99.14° — well clear of the Sun

Favours the southern hemisphere; low or below the horizon from far north.

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
47.301 AU
Eccentricity
0.0398
Inclination
20.91°
Orbital period
325.3 years
Perihelion
45.42 AU
Aphelion
49.182 AU
Longitude of ascending node
94.12°
Argument of periapsis
93.37°
Epoch · J2000
2461200.5
Orbit class · TNO
Trans-Neptunian object
Earth MOID · 17,313.9 LD
44.489 AU
Tisserand (Jupiter)
5.739

Orbit quality

Orbit reasonably well determined (uncertainty code 3).

Observations used
73
Data arc
9.38 years
First observed
23 April 2012
Last observed
10 September 2021
Residual RMS
0.84 ″
Solution · Otto Matic
28 April 2022

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H)
6.17

Discovery & classification

TNO

Sources