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AsteriaStar
Dormant comet · (196256) 2003 EH1

(196256) 2003 EH1

An asteroid on a short-period, comet-like orbit believed to be a dormant or extinct comet nucleus — the parent body of the sharp, brief Quadrantid meteor shower.

Comets

Orbit & physical parameters

Osculating orbit and physical parameters from the NASA JPL Small-Body Database · Amor · near-Earth · epoch 2026-06-09 (JD 2461200.5 TDB) · Earth MOID 0.212175 au

Semi-major axis3.122961 ± 2.3507e-8 auNASA JPL · calculated
Eccentricity0.618659 ± 1.6506e-7NASA JPL · calculated
Perihelion distance1.190915 ± 5.1410e-7 auNASA JPL · calculated
Aphelion distance5.055008 ± 3.8050e-8 auNASA JPL · calculated
Inclination70.874655 ± 3.2123e-5 degNASA JPL · calculated
Longitude of ascending node283.001218 ± 4.2423e-5 degNASA JPL · calculated
Argument of perihelion171.338854 ± 4.4782e-5 degNASA JPL · calculated
Orbital period2,016 ± 2.2760e-5 dNASA JPL · calculated
Absolute magnitude (H)16.1 magNASA JPL · catalogued
Full field-level provenance
  • Semi-major axis: Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics · JPL SBDB · orbit.elements · a · JPL orbit determination (least-squares fit to the observation arc) · calculated · JPL solution by Otto Matic, 147 obs · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Eccentricity: Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics · JPL SBDB · orbit.elements · e · JPL orbit determination (least-squares fit to the observation arc) · calculated · JPL solution by Otto Matic, 147 obs · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Perihelion distance: Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics · JPL SBDB · orbit.elements · q · JPL orbit determination (least-squares fit to the observation arc) · calculated · JPL solution by Otto Matic, 147 obs · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Aphelion distance: Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics · JPL SBDB · orbit.elements · ad · JPL orbit determination (least-squares fit to the observation arc) · calculated · JPL solution by Otto Matic, 147 obs · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Inclination: Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics · JPL SBDB · orbit.elements · i · JPL orbit determination (least-squares fit to the observation arc) · calculated · JPL solution by Otto Matic, 147 obs · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Longitude of ascending node: Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics · JPL SBDB · orbit.elements · om · JPL orbit determination (least-squares fit to the observation arc) · calculated · JPL solution by Otto Matic, 147 obs · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Argument of perihelion: Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics · JPL SBDB · orbit.elements · w · JPL orbit determination (least-squares fit to the observation arc) · calculated · JPL solution by Otto Matic, 147 obs · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Orbital period: Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics · JPL SBDB · orbit.elements · per · JPL orbit determination (least-squares fit to the observation arc) · calculated · JPL solution by Otto Matic, 147 obs · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Absolute magnitude (H): Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics · JPL SBDB · phys_par · phys.H · catalogued value · JPL solution by Otto Matic, 147 obs · retrieved 2026-07-11

Orbital elements are a calculated JPL orbit-determination fit, all referred to the single osculating epoch above (solution by Otto Matic); each carries its own uncertainty. Fields the database did not provide are omitted, never invented.

Classification & origin

Parent of meteor shower:Quadrantids

Knowledge connections

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration

    Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.

    Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.

  • NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics

    Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.