Solar System
Dynamics &
Planetology
Group 		C/1990 K1 Levy


General description

data set of C/1990 K1
The Catalogue of Cometary Orbit (Marsden & Williams, 2008, 17thEd.; MWC08) gives non-gravitational (NG) orbit based on significantly less number of observations (314) and the same time interval as here. In June 2013, 693 observations are available at IAU Minor Planet Center Web Pages, however, osculating orbit is the same as in MWC08. Since MWC08 gives NG orbit, thus orbital quality class is not given there. Pure GR osculating orbit given at JPL Small-Body Database Browser is based on 553 observations.

In Królikowska and Dybczyński (2010) the symmetric NG model based on full data interval is given where some trends in O-C variations are reported. Our symmetric NG solution results in 1a quality class. The asymmetric model presented here gives time shift relative to perihelion passage τ = 5.3 ± 1.7 day and orbit of 1b class. However, still some trends in O-C time variations are easily seen and more dedicated treatment is necessary for this comet, maybe similar as for C/2001 Q4 and C/2002 T7.

Figure caption: Time distribution of positional observations with corresponding heliocentric (red points) and geocentric (green points) distance at which they were taken. The horizontal dotted line shows the perihelion distance for a given comet whereas vertical dotted line — the moment of perihelion passage.



SSDP Cometary Note C1990K1N7-001

Comet C/1990 K1 Levy (asymmetric non-gravitational solution)

number of observations 678
number of residuals 1321
data interval 1990 May 21 — 1992 Apr. 1
rms [arcsec] 0.95
orbit quality class 1b

Osculating orbital elements (heliocentric; ecliptic J2000.0)

Epoch (TT) 19901105.0 = JD 2448200.5
time of perihelion passage (TT) 19901024.684234 ± 0.000102
perihelion distance 0.93869530 ± 0.00000199
eccentricity 1.00038579 ± 0.00000931
argument of perihelion [deg] 242.665901 ± 0.000117
longitude of the ascending node [deg] 139.364541 ± 0.000033
inclination [deg] 131.582128 ± 0.000062
inverse semimajor axis [10-6 au-1] -410.98 ± 9.91

Nongravitational parameters [10-8 au/day2] A1 = 3.694 ± 0.163 A2 = -0.0736 ± 0.0769 A3 = 0.3001 ± 0.0122
time shift of g(r) relative to perihelion [day] 5.3 ± 1.7

Notes: 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) 16910715
time of perihelion passage (TT) 19901024.553182 ± 0.000176
perihelion distance 0.93928599 ± 0.00000288
eccentricity 0.99989327 ± 0.00000570
argument of perihelion [deg] 242.645221 ± 0.000316
longitude of the ascending node [deg] 139.298604 ± 0.000026
inclination [deg] 131.574011 ± 0.000071
inverse semimajor axis [10-6 au-1] 113.63 ± 6.07

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) 22800707
time of perihelion passage (TT) 19901025.272025 ± 0.000166
perihelion distance 0.93077116 ± 0.00000836
eccentricity 1.00072380 ± 0.00000434
argument of perihelion [deg] 242.432502 ± 0.000464
longitude of the ascending node [deg] 139.316414 ± 0.000040
inclination [deg] 131.505802 ± 0.000062
inverse semimajor axis [10-6 au-1] -777.63 ± 4.66


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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