Solar System
Dynamics &
Planetology
Group 		C/1978 H1 Meier


SSDP Cometary Note C1978H1N1-001

Comet C/1978 H1 Meier

number of observations 287
number of residuals 565
data interval 1978 Apr. 28 — 1979 Dec. 9
rms [arcsec] 1.00
orbit quality class 1b

Osculating orbital elements (heliocentric; ecliptic J2000.0)

Epoch (TT) 19781128.0 = JD 2443840.5
time of perihelion passage (TT) 19781111.408775 ± 0.000236
perihelion distance 1.13650660 ± 0.00000288
eccentricity 1.00079425 ± 0.00000972
argument of perihelion [deg] 231.401425 ± 0.000104
longitude of the ascending node [deg] 349.344859 ± 0.000060
inclination [deg] 43.761723 ± 0.000084
inverse semimajor axis [10-6 au-1] -698.85 ± 8.55

Nongravitational parameters [10-8 au/day2] A1 = 1.292 ± 0.198 A2 = 0.415 ± 0.125 A3 = 0.0 (assumed)

Note: Epoch is given in a format: yyyymmdd.d, time of perihelion passage in a format of yyyymmdd.dddddd.

Original orbital elements (barycentric; at 250 au from the Sun)

Epoch (TT) 16790807
time of perihelion passage (TT) 19781110.596515 ± 0.000480
perihelion distance 1.12973415 ± 0.00000615
eccentricity 0.99990900 ± 0.00001212
argument of perihelion [deg] 231.441739 ± 0.000543
longitude of the ascending node [deg] 349.549453 ± 0.000059
inclination [deg] 43.760229 ± 0.000086
inverse semimajor axis [10-6 au-1] 80.55 ± 10.72

Note: Values of uncertainties of original/future orbital elements were derived using a swarm of 5001 osculating orbits of VCs (including the nominal osculating orbit given above) for original/future orbital evolution calclulations and then by fitting the distribution of a given orbital element of original/future swarm of VCs to Gaussian distribution.

Original barycentric positions and velocities of 5001 VCs at 250 au from the Sun are given here   (data format), i.e. before entering the planetary zone.

Future orbital elements (barycentric; at 250 au from the Sun)

Epoch (TT) 22660701
time of perihelion passage (TT) 19781110.554368 ± 0.000446
perihelion distance 1.14083841 ± 0.00000560
eccentricity 1.00116958 ± 0.00000931
argument of perihelion [deg] 231.489011 ± 0.000411
longitude of the ascending node [deg] 349.342113 ± 0.000060
inclination [deg] 43.677621 ± 0.000085
inverse semimajor axis [10-6 au-1] -1025.19 ± 8.16


Future barycentric positions and velocities of 5001 VCs at 250 au from the Sun are given here   (data format), i.e. after leaving the planetary zone.





Solar System Dynamics & Planetology Group, 2013. All rights reserved

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