JPL Small-Body Database


The JPL Small-Body Database is an astronomy database about small Solar System bodies. It is maintained by Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA and provides data for all known asteroids and several comets, including orbital parameters and diagrams, physical diagrams, and lists of publications related to the small body. The database is updated on a daily basis.

Close-approach data

As of August 2013 close-approach data is available for the major planets and the 16 most massive asteroids. Close approach data is available by adding ";cad=1" to the end of the body's URL.

Orbit diagram

A Java applet is available and provided as a 3D orbit visualization tool. The applet was implemented using unreliable 2-body methods, and hence should not be used for determining accurate long-term trajectories or planetary encounter circumstances. For accurate ephemerides use the JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System that handles the n-body problem using numerical integration. The Java applet is available by adding ";orb=1" to the end of the body's URL.