C/2010 X1 Elenin

Solar System
Dynamics &
Planetology
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C/2010 X1 Elenin

General description

This comet was observed to 2011 September 7, however started to disintegrate in August.

The solution based on observations taken to the end of July (as at JPL Small-Body Database Browser) exhibits some trends in O-C time variation. Thus, the data for GR orbit determination were taken here to the end of May; this model is much better and gives orbit of 1b class.

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. The observations not taken for the orbit determination given in SSDP Cometary Note C2010X1A7-001 (just below) are shown by grey dots.

SSDP Cometary Note C2010X1A7-001

Comet C/2010 X1 Elenin

number of observations	2104
number of residuals	4135
data interval	2010 Dec. 10 — 2011 May 30
rms [arcsec]	0.46
orbit quality class	1b

Osculating orbital elements (heliocentric; ecliptic J2000.0)

Epoch (TT)	20110827.0	= JD 2455800.5
time of perihelion passage (TT)	20110910.722328	± 0.000158
perihelion distance	0.48245682	± 0.00000164
eccentricity	1.00003111	± 0.00000106
argument of perihelion [deg]	343.805622	± 0.000487
longitude of the ascending node [deg]	323.226953	± 0.000494
inclination [deg]	1.839257	± 0.000026
inverse semimajor axis [10^-6 au^-1]	-64.49	± 2.20

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)	17140317
time of perihelion passage (TT)	20110911.579239	± 0.000172
perihelion distance	0.48158241	± 0.00000166
eccentricity	0.99998839	± 0.00000106
argument of perihelion [deg]	343.653876	± 0.000479
longitude of the ascending node [deg]	323.416873	± 0.000486
inclination [deg]	1.876287	± 0.000026
inverse semimajor axis [10^-6 au^-1]	24.10	± 2.20

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)