Comet Encke in March 2017 was at the perihelion of its orbit at a distance of 0.334 AU. from the sun. Orbital eccentricity 0.85
September 16, 2020 | Education
| Comet Encke in March 2017 was at the perihelion of its orbit at a distance of 0.334 AU. from the sun. Orbital eccentricity 0.85. Determine its maximum distance from the Sun. When approximately this can happen
Ra = a (1 + e); a = Rп / (1-e); Ra = 0.334 * (1 + 0.85) / (1-0.85); Ra = 4.12 a.u ..
According to Kepler’s third law, the maximum distance occurs in half the period.
T2 = a3; from this formula follows: a = 2.23 a.e.
0.5 T = 1.665 g;
That is, the event will occur in one year and 243 days, approximately in November 2019.
