OAA computing section circular NK 501 Periodic Comet Skiff-Kosai 1976 XVI
The following improved orbital elements, by S. Nakano, are from 8 observations 1977 Feb. 13 to Mar. 12. Perturbations by all nine planets were taken into account. The mean residual is +/- 0.30 arc second: Epoch = 1976 Aug. 10.0 ET T = 1976 Aug. 4.07502 +/- 1.97134 (m.e.) ET Peri. = 26.44526 +/- 1.91051 Node = 80.18401 +/- 1.88308 (1950.0) Inc. = 3.20059 +/- 0.18607 q = 2.8494535 +/- 0.0020044 AU e = 0.2592214 +/- 0.0004401 a = 3.8465657 +/- 0.0014486 AU n_ = 0.13064547 +/- 0.00007380 P = 7.544 +/- 0.0042616 years (+/- 1.56 day) The predicted orbit for the 1991 return is as follows: T = 1991 Sept.14.80058 ET Epoch = 1991 Sept.21.0 ET Peri. = 26.52994 e = 0.2597138 Node = 80.14554 (1950.0) a = 3.8450345 AU Inc. = 3.19919 n_= 0.13072352 q = 2.8464260 AU P = 7.540 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 02 13.42639 10 22 06.84 +14 56 37.9 0.1- 0.2- 675/PL 1977 02 13.47847 10 22 04.62 +14 56 52.3 0.1+ 0.2+ 675/PL 1977 02 18.63486 10 18 26.56 +15 19 48.7 0.2- 0.0 381/ks 1977 02 18.66889 10 18 25.11 +15 19 57.8 0.7+ 0.3+ 381/ks 1977 02 19.57305 10 17 46.45 +15 23 52.6 0.4- 0.0 381/ks 1977 02 19.60701 10 17 44.97 +15 24 01.2 0.1- 0.3- 381/ks 1977 03 12.54736 10 03 56.85 +16 36 56.9 0.2- 0.5+ 381/ks 1977 03 12.57583 10 03 55.90 +16 37 00.1 0.2+ 0.5- 381/ks ( ) -------- Rejected Obs.
Director, Computing Section Syuichi Nakano 1987 August 20