Diagrams and Charts
Distant Solar System
These outer solar system diagrams show the positions of objects with semi-major axes (a) greater than 6 au (orbital periods greater than ~15 years) on 2018 January 1. The orbits and positions of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Eris, Sedna, and comets Halley and Hale-Bopp are also shown. The orbits of objects beyond Neptune are drawn using two slightly different colors; the brighter color is used for the portion of the orbit above the ecliptic plane. Trans-Neptunian objects larger than about 700 km in diameter are shown as white diamonds, comets are sunward-pointing wedges, and the other objects are yellow dots. The vernal equinox is to the right along the horizontal axis (+X direction).
An oblique view from above the ecliptic plane (the plane containing the Earth's orbit). Higher-resolution is available in PostScript format.
The view from the edge of the ecliptic plane. Higher-resolution is available in PostScript format.
Only comets and asteroids in JPL's small-body database as of 2018 January 1 were used.
