OAA computing section circular NK 499 Periodic Comet Kowal 1 1977 III
The following improved orbital elements, by S. Nakano, are from 7 observations 1977 Apr. 24 to June 17. Perturbations by all nine planets were taken into account. The mean residual is +/- 0.33 arc second: Epoch = 1977 Feb. 26.0 ET T = 1977 Mar. 1.38875 +/-11.62555 (m.e.) ET Peri. = 178.79479 +/- 8.68543 Node = 28.43171 +/- 8.64918 (1950.0) Inc. = 4.35455 +/- 0.31943 q = 4.6636811 +/- 0.0059766 AU e = 0.2373693 +/- 0.0006766 a = 6.1152547 +/- 0.0056553 AU n_ = 0.06517518 +/- 0.00009041 P = 15.122 +/- 0.0209774 years (+/- 7.66 days) The predicted orbit for the 1992 return is as follows: T = 1992 June 12.88138 ET Epoch = 1992 June 27.0 ET Peri. = 181.28765 e = 0.2344131 Node = 28.05944 (1950.0) a = 6.1042792 AU Inc. = 4.35351 n_= 0.06535104 q = 4.6733559 AU P = 15.082 years The following residuals in seconds of arc are from the above orbital elements: Date/ UT R.A. (1950) Decl. *** O-C *** Code/Obs. h m s ! , " " " 1977 04 24.39271 14 02 11.04 -12 54 41.4 0.2+ 0.2+ 675/PL 1977 04 25.39583 14 01 40.12 -12 52 37.2 0.1+ 0.4- 675/PL 1977 04 26.36389 14 01 10.33 -12 50 36.4 0.4- 0.0 675/PL 1977 05 17.20174 13 51 22.85 -12 10 28.8 0.2- 0.2+ 675/PL 1977 05 19.18368 13 50 36.15 -12 07 19.5 0.3+ 0.0 675/PL 1977 06 13.25046 13 44 27.76 -11 45 42.5 0.2+ 0.6+ 675/PL 1977 06 17.10899 13 44 12.49 -11 45 56.8 0.2- 0.7- 801/HO ( ) -------- Rejected Obs.
Director, Computing Section Syuichi Nakano 1987 August 20