C/2000 K1 LINEAR

Solar System
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Planetology
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C/2000 K1 LINEAR

General description

C/2000 K1 was discovered on 26 May 2000 by the LINEAR as a cometary object [IAUC 7430, 2000 May 26]. Positional observations of this comet were next linked with pre-discovery meeasurements of two asteroidal objects observed by LINEAR in 1999 (1999 LW₂₄ = 1999 NF₁₃) from May to July 1999, and in May 2000 [IAUC 7431, MPEC 2000-K26, 27, 29].

This comet made its closest approach to Earth on 15 June 1999 (5.387 au), seven months before perihelion.

Solution given below is based on data span over 2.2 yr in a range of heliocentric distances: 6.44 au – 6.276 au (perihelion) – 7.51 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 C2000K1A2-001

Comet C/2000 K1 LINEAR

number of observations	333
number of residuals	663
data interval	1999 May 18 — 2001 Aug. 15
rms [arcsec]	0.72
orbit quality class	1a

Osculating orbital elements (heliocentric; ecliptic J2000.0)

Epoch (TT)	19991208.0	= JD 2451520.5
time of perihelion passage (TT)	19991214.799672	± 0.002273
perihelion distance	6.27611470	± 0.00001447
eccentricity	1.00240548	± 0.00001457
argument of perihelion [deg]	15.814601	± 0.000212
longitude of the ascending node [deg]	260.194253	± 0.000028
inclination [deg]	116.782036	± 0.000037
inverse semimajor axis [10^-6 au^-1]	-383.28	± 2.32

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

Figure caption: Six 2D-projections of the 6D space of original swarm (5001 VCs) of C/2000 K1. Each density map is given in logarithmic scale presented on the right in the individual panel.
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Original orbital elements (barycentric; at 250 au from the Sun)

Epoch (TT)	16920311
time of perihelion passage (TT)	19991213.536382	± 0.002299
perihelion distance	6.27823901	± 0.00001463
eccentricity	0.99974889	± 0.00001453
argument of perihelion [deg]	15.737694	± 0.000216
longitude of the ascending node [deg]	260.123450	± 0.000028
inclination [deg]	116.745943	± 0.000038
inverse semimajor axis [10^-6 au^-1]	40.00	± 2.31

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)	23081118
time of perihelion passage (TT)	19991213.783393	± 0.002328
perihelion distance	6.28089295	± 0.00001466
eccentricity	0.99913582	± 0.00001454
argument of perihelion [deg]	15.726080	± 0.000216
longitude of the ascending node [deg]	260.150800	± 0.000028
inclination [deg]	116.769737	± 0.000038
inverse semimajor axis [10^-6 au^-1]	137.59	± 2.32