2011/11/22 by Sophia Jane Balkoski, Balkoski, Sophia Jane, Laksh Bhasin +3
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP) #FOS: Physical sciences #Planetary Science and Exploration #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1111.5283
openalex publication_date 2011/11/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Near-Earth Asteroids can be hazardous to the Earth, due to their orbital characteristics and proximity to inner Solar System planets. Using three sets of CCD images collected in June and July 2011, the orbital elements of asteroid 1994 PC1 were determined at solar opposition. The body's specific right ascension and declination were calculated through least squares plate reduction (taking parallax into account) and compared to those of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. These data were then used to find 1994 PC1's orbital elements, as well as any statistical uncertainty. This research points to an eccentricity of 0.3272 (+0.00009 or -0.0005), a semi major axis of 1.3401 AU (+0.0001 AU or -0.0004 AU), an inclination angle of 33.30∘ (+0.05∘ or -0.01∘), a longitude of the ascending node of 118.01∘ (+0.09∘ or -0.02∘), an argument of perihelion of 47.14∘ (+0.005∘ or -0.08∘), and a time of last perihelion of JD 2455642.88 (+0.007 or -0.03).