Solar System
Dynamics &
Planetology
Group 		C/2007 W3 LINEAR



General description

data set of C/2007 W3
Comet C/2007 W3 was observed in the range of heliocentric distance: 2.89 au – 1.77 au (perihelion) – 2.17 au, and the NG accelerations are well-detectable in its motion during the period covered by positional observations (about nine months).

More details in Królikowska and Dybczyński, 2013.

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 C2007W3N5-001

Comet C/2007 W3 LINEAR (non-gravitational solution)

number of observations 212
number of residuals 413
data interval 2007 Nov. 29 — 2008 Sep. 8
rms [arcsec] 0.52
orbit quality class 1b

Osculating orbital elements (heliocentric; ecliptic J2000.0)

Epoch (TT) 20080514.0 = JD 2454600.5
time of perihelion passage (TT) 20080602.797246 ± 0.000262
perihelion distance 1.77661017 ± 0.00000537
eccentricity 1.00011024 ± 0.00001251
argument of perihelion[deg] 112.626588 ± 0.000223
longitude of the ascending node [deg] 73.068697 ± 0.000079
inclination[deg] 78.673567 ± 0.000045
inverse semimajor axis [10-6 au-1] -62.05 ± 7.04

Nongravitational parameters [10-8 au/day2] A1 = 4.968 ± 0.572 A2 = 2.248 ± 0.581 A3 = -1.084 ± 0.316

Note: Epoch is given in a format: yyyymmdd.d, time of perihelion passage in a format of yyyymmdd.dddddd.
data set of C/2007 W3

Figure caption: Six 2D-projections of the 9D space of original swarm (5001 VCs) of C/2007 W3. 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) 17080706.0
time of perihelion passage (TT) 20080602.926806 ± 0.000338
perihelion distance 1.77616467 ± 0.00000621
eccentricity 0.99994427 ± 0.00000684
argument of perihelion[deg] 112.658345 ± 0.000222
longitude of the ascending node [deg] 73.055983 ± 0.000058
inclination[deg] 78.636651 ± 0.000073
inverse semimajor axis [10-6 au-1] 31.38 ± 3.85

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.


data set of C/2007 W3

Figure caption: Six 2D-projections of the 9D space of future swarm (5001 VCs) of C/2007 W3. Each density map is given in logarithmic scale presented on the right in the individual panel.
The same figure in the new window

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

Epoch (TT) 23111213.0
time of perihelion passage (TT) 20080604.024147 ± 0.001179
perihelion distance 1.76995312 ± 0.00001162
eccentricity 0.99939133 ± 0.00003203
argument of perihelion[deg] 112.491127 ± 0.000801
longitude of the ascending node [deg] 73.018628 ± 0.000218
inclination[deg] 78.669330 ± 0.000180
inverse semimajor axis [10-6 au-1] 343.89 ± 18.10


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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