How close will comet come to earth

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the proximity of a comet to Earth using its six orbital parameters: semi-major axis (a=110 AU), eccentricity (e=0.995), inclination (i=89 degrees), longitude of the ascending node (180 degrees), argument of perihelion (0 degrees), and time of perihelion passage (2008 March 21). The user initially inquires about the necessary equations for determining the positions of both the comet and Earth, particularly in relation to the comet's perihelion passage. Ultimately, the user resolves the issue independently, indicating a successful understanding of the calculations involved.

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  • Familiarity with celestial coordinate systems
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scatterbrain8
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I'm given the six orbital parameters for a comet and am asked to find how close it comes to earth, but I'm not sure how to go about this...

Should I calculate the position of the comet and Earth and the comet's perihelion passage? If so, are there equations for this type of thing?

The parameters are a=110 AU, e=0.995, i=89 deg, longitude of the ascending node is 180 deg, argument of perihelion= 0 deg and time of perihelion passage = 2008 March 21

I know it's vernal equinox, but not sure how to quantify the positions...
 
Last edited:
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figured it out, nevermind
 

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