Solar System
Dynamics &
Planetology
Group 		C/1993 F1 Mueller




data set of C/1993 F1

The same figure in the new window

General description

Comet C/1993 F1 was discovered by Jean Mueller on a 75-min exposure obtained on 19 March 1993 by J. D. Mendenhall and herself (with the 1.2-m Oschin Schmidt telescope in the course of the second Palomar Sky Survey) (IAUC 5723), when the comet was 7.5 months after its perihelion passage. The comet was last seen on 4 July 1995.

The comet made its closest approach to the Earth on 8 February 1993 (5.52 au), that was six weeks before its discovery (six months after perihelion). However, slightly deeper close approach to the Earth was in the previous opposition (not observed) when the comet was within 5.28 au from the Earth (10 January 1992, about seven months before perihelion passage).

Solution given below is based on data span over 2.27 yr in the range of heliocentric distances from 6.11 au to 9.30 au.


Figure caption: Time distribution of positional observations with corresponding heliocentric (red curve) and geocentric (green curve) 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 C1993F1A2-001

Comet C/1993 F1 Mueller

number of observations 111
number of residuals 219
data interval 1993 Mar. 19 — 1995 July 4
rms [arcsec] 1.11
orbit quality class 1a

Osculating orbital elements (heliocentric; ecliptic J2000.0)

Epoch (TT) 19920806.0 = JD 2448840.5
time of perihelion passage (TT) 19920804.502761 ± 0.010589
perihelion distance 5.90039749 ± 0.00006949
eccentricity 1.00574936 ± 0.00003689
argument of perihelion [deg] 61.992684 ± 0.001170
longitude of the ascending node [deg] 77.515654 ± 0.000132
inclination [deg] 53.940015 ± 0.000051
inverse semimajor axis [10-6 au-1] -974.40 ± 6.22

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

data set of C/1993 F1

Figure caption: Six 2D-projections of the 6D space of original swarm (5001 VCs) of C/1993 F1. Each density map is given in logarithmic scale presented on the right in the individual panel.
The same figure in the new window

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

Epoch (TT) 16850308
time of perihelion passage (TT) 19920806.153786 ± 0.010511
perihelion distance 5.89949798 ± 0.00006956
eccentricity 0.99963062 ± 0.00003712
argument of perihelion [deg] 62.056088 ± 0.001154
longitude of the ascending node [deg] 77.524079 ± 0.000133
inclination [deg] 53.980307 ± 0.000050
inverse semimajor axis [10-6 au-1] 62.61 ± 6.29

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) 22950311
time of perihelion passage (TT) 19920805.102586 ± 0.010526
perihelion distance 5.89952519 ± 0.00006916
eccentricity 1.00209959 ± 0.00003704
argument of perihelion [deg] 61.996503 ± 0.001165
longitude of the ascending node [deg] 77.463429 ± 0.000132
inclination [deg] 53.959731 ± 0.000050
inverse semimajor axis [10-6 au-1] -355.89 ± 6.27


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

\