Planet's Julian Date of a point in orbit

  • Level: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Philosophaie
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Orbit Point
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
1 reply · 3K views
Philosophaie
Messages
456
Reaction score
0
I would like to know the Earth Date or Julian Date of the Periapsis, Vernal Equinox or any other point in the orbit for every planet in the solar system excluding Earth.
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
Go here:

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi

Pick the palent you want.

change the options to give heliocentric range. Pick a date range and hit generate.

The chart will give the distance from the sun for the list of dates. Look for the date where the distance stops decreasing and starts increasing. this will be the date of periapis. (If it doesn't show up in the range of dates you used, try a new range of dates.) For instance, the next periapis for Mars falls on March 9, 2011.