Additional observations through March 23, 1996 have been supplied by the Minor Planet Center and used to update the orbit, ephemeris, and error analysis.
Object: Comet 1996 B2 Hyakutake
Ref. Solution: 21
Planetary Ephemeris: DE403
No. Observations: 362
Observation Arc: 1996 Jan 1 - 1996 Mar 23
---- Residual Summary ---- RA Dec Total
Mean -.002 .000 .002
RMS, unweighted .660 .603 .632
---- Corrected Elements (J2000): Solution 21
Epoch 2450206.50000 = 1996 May 3.00000
Post-Fit Std.Dev.
e .999655471 .000012572
q .230031209 .000009138
Tp 2450204.8967893 .0001717 1996 May 1.39679
Node 188.0429636 .0001316
w 130.2110926 .0017538
i 124.9092632 .0007195
---- Elements at other epochs:
Epoch (TDB) e q Node w i Tp
1996 Mar 25.0 .9996608 .2300453 188.042755 130.208678 124.908688 1996 May 1.396990
1996 Mar 26.0 .9996610 .2300425 188.042779 130.209058 124.908864 1996 May 1.396910
1996 Mar 27.0 .9996604 .2300398 188.042793 130.209465 124.908959 1996 May 1.396857
1996 Mar 28.0 .9996596 .2300376 188.042798 130.209801 124.908992 1996 May 1.396828
1996 Mar 29.0 .9996589 .2300361 188.042799 130.210047 124.908994 1996 May 1.396814
1996 Apr 27.0 .9996553 .2300312 188.042958 130.211094 124.909265 1996 May 1.396790
e: Eccentricity
q: Perihelion passage distance (AU)
Node: Longitude of the ascending node (deg.)
w: Argument of perihelion (deg.)
i: Inclination (deg.)
Tp: Perihelion passage time (TDB)
The peculiar trend in the uncertainties is due to the close Earth approach on
March 25 and the extreme high declinations on March 27. On March 27th, the
right ascension values swing through an extraordinary arc. Observers should
note that the RA values on the 27th will be relatively uncertain. One sigma
positional uncertainties for selected dates follow:
Date 1-sigma uncertainties
R.A. Dec.
Mar. 25 1" 2"
Mar. 26 2" 3"
Mar. 27 8" 2"
Mar. 28 2" 4"
Mar. 30 1" 2"
Apr. 4 1" 1"
Ephemeris (with perturbations) for Comet 1996 B2 Hyakutake
JPL Ref. orbit No. 21 by D.K. Yeomans, Mar. 25, 1996
Ephemeris output times are UTC (not TT).
Date (UT) Hr R.A. J2000 Dec. Delta Deldot r Theta Beta Moon PsAng
1996 Mar 25 00 14 34 53.89 +53 57 42.1 .102 -5.419 1.048 117.3 57.7 103 219.5
1996 Mar 25 02 14 33 47.13 +55 29 40.7 .102 -3.885 1.046 116.2 58.8 101 218.6
1996 Mar 25 04 14 32 34.64 +57 01 56.5 .102 -2.344 1.045 115.1 59.8 99 217.8
1996 Mar 25 06 14 31 15.68 +58 34 21.4 .102 -.797 1.043 114.0 60.9 98 216.9
1996 Mar 25 08 14 29 49.35 +60 06 46.8 .102 .750 1.041 112.8 62.0 96 216.0
1996 Mar 25 10 14 28 14.58 +61 39 03.9 .102 2.296 1.039 111.7 63.1 94 215.2
1996 Mar 25 12 14 26 30.08 +63 11 04.1 .102 3.836 1.038 110.5 64.2 93 214.3
1996 Mar 25 14 14 24 34.32 +64 42 38.7 .102 5.367 1.036 109.4 65.3 91 213.4
1996 Mar 25 16 14 22 25.38 +66 13 38.9 .102 6.887 1.034 108.2 66.4 89 212.5
1996 Mar 25 18 14 20 00.91 +67 43 56.1 .103 8.391 1.032 107.0 67.5 88 211.5
1996 Mar 25 20 14 17 18.00 +69 13 21.6 .103 9.877 1.031 105.9 68.6 86 210.5
1996 Mar 25 22 14 14 12.93 +70 41 46.7 .104 11.343 1.029 104.7 69.7 85 209.5
1996 Mar 26 00 14 10 40.94 +72 09 02.7 .104 12.785 1.027 103.6 70.8 83 208.3
1996 Mar 26 02 14 06 35.85 +73 35 00.6 .105 14.202 1.025 102.4 71.9 82 207.0
1996 Mar 26 04 14 01 49.46 +74 59 30.9 .106 15.591 1.024 101.3 72.9 80 205.6
1996 Mar 26 06 13 56 10.70 +76 22 23.2 .107 16.950 1.022 100.1 74.0 79 204.0
1996 Mar 26 08 13 49 24.35 +77 43 25.5 .107 18.278 1.020 99.0 75.0 78 202.1
1996 Mar 26 10 13 41 08.93 +79 02 23.3 .108 19.574 1.018 97.9 76.1 77 199.9
1996 Mar 26 12 13 30 53.41 +80 18 57.6 .109 20.836 1.017 96.8 77.1 76 197.2
1996 Mar 26 14 13 17 51.78 +81 32 41.8 .110 22.063 1.015 95.7 78.1 74 193.8
1996 Mar 26 16 13 00 54.19 +82 42 56.2 .111 23.255 1.013 94.7 79.0 73 189.4
1996 Mar 26 18 12 38 13.07 +83 48 38.0 .113 24.411 1.011 93.6 80.0 73 183.7
1996 Mar 26 20 12 07 05.30 +84 48 02.2 .114 25.531 1.009 92.6 80.9 72 175.8
1996 Mar 26 22 11 23 47.47 +85 38 12.5 .115 26.615 1.008 91.6 81.9 71 164.9
1996 Mar 27 00 10 24 57.25 +86 14 30.1 .116 27.664 1.006 90.6 82.7 70 150.2
1996 Mar 27 02 09 12 26.31 +86 31 16.8 .118 28.676 1.004 89.6 83.6 69 132.0
1996 Mar 27 04 07 57 53.47 +86 25 32.7 .119 29.653 1.002 88.7 84.5 69 113.3
1996 Mar 27 06 06 54 49.50 +86 00 17.7 .120 30.596 1.001 87.8 85.3 68 97.5
1996 Mar 27 08 06 07 36.11 +85 21 56.5 .122 31.504 .999 86.9 86.1 68 85.7
1996 Mar 27 10 05 33 36.55 +84 36 03.9 .124 32.379 .997 86.0 86.9 67 77.2
1996 Mar 27 12 05 08 58.34 +83 46 13.6 .125 33.221 .995 85.1 87.7 67 71.1
1996 Mar 27 14 04 50 41.13 +82 54 29.6 .127 34.031 .993 84.3 88.4 66 66.5
1996 Mar 27 16 04 36 44.26 +82 02 03.4 .128 34.810 .992 83.4 89.2 66 63.0
1996 Mar 27 18 04 25 49.37 +81 09 37.1 .130 35.558 .990 82.6 89.9 66 60.3
1996 Mar 27 20 04 17 05.10 +80 17 36.3 .132 36.278 .988 81.8 90.6 66 58.2
1996 Mar 27 22 04 09 57.07 +79 26 17.0 .134 36.969 .986 81.1 91.2 66 56.5
1996 Mar 28 00 04 04 01.63 +78 35 49.0 .135 37.633 .985 80.3 91.9 66 55.0
1996 Mar 28 02 03 59 02.13 +77 46 18.6 .137 38.271 .983 79.6 92.5 66 53.8
1996 Mar 28 04 03 54 46.53 +76 57 49.8 .139 38.883 .981 78.9 93.1 66 52.8
1996 Mar 28 06 03 51 05.99 +76 10 24.9 .141 39.471 .979 78.2 93.7 66 51.9
1996 Mar 28 08 03 47 53.82 +75 24 04.9 .143 40.035 .977 77.5 94.3 66 51.2
1996 Mar 28 10 03 45 04.95 +74 38 50.3 .145 40.577 .976 76.8 94.9 66 50.6
1996 Mar 28 12 03 42 35.41 +73 54 40.9 .147 41.096 .974 76.2 95.4 66 50.0
1996 Mar 28 14 03 40 22.07 +73 11 36.0 .149 41.596 .972 75.6 95.9 66 49.5
1996 Mar 28 16 03 38 22.47 +72 29 35.0 .151 42.075 .970 74.9 96.4 67 49.1
1996 Mar 28 18 03 36 34.58 +71 48 36.6 .153 42.535 .968 74.3 96.9 67 48.7
1996 Mar 28 20 03 34 56.77 +71 08 39.7 .155 42.977 .967 73.7 97.4 67 48.4
1996 Mar 28 22 03 33 27.69 +70 29 42.9 .157 43.401 .965 73.2 97.9 68 48.1
1996 Mar 29 00 03 32 06.23 +69 51 44.9 .159 43.808 .963 72.6 98.3 68 47.8
1996 Mar 29 02 03 30 51.43 +69 14 44.2 .161 44.200 .961 72.1 98.8 69 47.6
1996 Mar 29 04 03 29 42.53 +68 38 39.3 .163 44.576 .959 71.5 99.2 69 47.3
1996 Mar 29 06 03 28 38.83 +68 03 28.7 .165 44.937 .958 71.0 99.6 70 47.2
1996 Mar 29 08 03 27 39.77 +67 29 11.0 .168 45.284 .956 70.5 100.0 70 47.0
1996 Mar 29 10 03 26 44.86 +66 55 44.7 .170 45.618 .954 70.0 100.4 71 46.8
1996 Mar 29 12 03 25 53.67 +66 23 08.2 .172 45.939 .952 69.5 100.7 71 46.7
1996 Mar 29 14 03 25 05.83 +65 51 20.2 .174 46.247 .950 69.0 101.1 72 46.6
1996 Mar 29 16 03 24 21.02 +65 20 19.2 .176 46.544 .949 68.6 101.5 73 46.5
1996 Mar 29 18 03 23 38.95 +64 50 03.9 .179 46.830 .947 68.1 101.8 73 46.3
1996 Mar 29 20 03 22 59.37 +64 20 32.8 .181 47.105 .945 67.7 102.1 74 46.3
1996 Mar 29 22 03 22 22.07 +63 51 44.7 .183 47.369 .943 67.2 102.4 75 46.2
1996 Mar 30 00 03 21 46.85 +63 23 38.2 .186 47.624 .941 66.8 102.7 75 46.1
1996 Mar 30 12 03 18 50.68 +60 48 25.4 .199 48.969 .930 64.4 104.4 80 45.8
1996 Mar 31 00 03 16 37.97 +58 33 23.5 .214 50.053 .919 62.3 105.8 85 45.6
1996 Mar 31 12 03 14 53.81 +56 35 08.8 .228 50.935 .908 60.4 107.0 90 45.5
1996 Apr 1 00 03 13 29.32 +54 50 55.3 .243 51.659 .897 58.7 107.9 95 45.5
1996 Apr 1 12 03 12 18.88 +53 18 27.8 .258 52.260 .886 57.1 108.7 101 45.5
1996 Apr 2 00 03 11 18.78 +51 55 56.4 .273 52.763 .875 55.7 109.4 107 45.5
1996 Apr 2 12 03 10 26.43 +50 41 50.9 .289 53.188 .864 54.4 109.9 112 45.5
1996 Apr 3 00 03 09 40.01 +49 34 57.4 .304 53.550 .853 53.1 110.3 118 45.5
1996 Apr 3 12 03 08 58.17 +48 34 14.8 .320 53.861 .841 51.9 110.7 124 45.4
1996 Apr 4 00 03 08 19.92 +47 38 52.2 .335 54.130 .830 50.8 110.9 129 45.4
1996 Apr 4 12 03 07 44.48 +46 48 07.1 .351 54.365 .819 49.8 111.1 135 45.3
1996 Apr 5 00 03 07 11.24 +46 01 23.7 .367 54.572 .807 48.8 111.3 140 45.2
1996 Apr 5 12 03 06 39.73 +45 18 11.7 .382 54.756 .796 47.8 111.4 144 45.1
1996 Apr 6 00 03 06 09.57 +44 38 05.1 .398 54.921 .784 46.9 111.4 148 45.0
1996 Apr 6 12 03 05 40.43 +44 00 41.9 .414 55.069 .773 46.0 111.4 151 44.9
1996 Apr 7 00 03 05 12.05 +43 25 43.0 .430 55.205 .761 45.1 111.3 152 44.7
1996 Apr 7 12 03 04 44.22 +42 52 51.7 .446 55.329 .750 44.3 111.2 151 44.6
1996 Apr 8 00 03 04 16.75 +42 21 53.6 .462 55.444 .738 43.4 111.1 149 44.4
1996 Apr 8 12 03 03 49.48 +41 52 36.1 .478 55.551 .726 42.6 110.9 145 44.2
1996 Apr 9 00 03 03 22.26 +41 24 47.9 .494 55.652 .714 41.8 110.7 141 44.0
1996 Apr 9 12 03 02 54.98 +40 58 19.3 .510 55.748 .702 41.1 110.4 136 43.7
1996 Apr 10 00 03 02 27.52 +40 33 01.4 .526 55.840 .690 40.3 110.1 130 43.5
1996 Apr 10 12 03 01 59.79 +40 08 46.3 .542 55.929 .678 39.6 109.8 124 43.2
1996 Apr 11 00 03 01 31.69 +39 45 26.8 .558 56.015 .666 38.8 109.5 118 42.9
1996 Apr 11 12 03 01 03.14 +39 22 56.6 .575 56.099 .654 38.1 109.1 111 42.6
1996 Apr 12 00 03 00 34.06 +39 01 09.7 .591 56.182 .642 37.4 108.7 105 42.3
1996 Apr 12 12 03 00 04.38 +38 40 00.8 .607 56.264 .630 36.6 108.3 98 42.0
1996 Apr 13 00 02 59 34.03 +38 19 24.8 .623 56.345 .618 35.9 107.8 92 41.6
1996 Apr 13 12 02 59 02.95 +37 59 17.2 .640 56.426 .606 35.2 107.3 85 41.2
1996 Apr 14 00 02 58 31.07 +37 39 33.5 .656 56.507 .593 34.5 106.7 78 40.8
1996 Apr 14 12 02 57 58.33 +37 20 09.8 .672 56.587 .581 33.8 106.1 72 40.4
1996 Apr 15 00 02 57 24.66 +37 01 02.0 .689 56.668 .568 33.1 105.5 65 40.0
1996 Apr 15 12 02 56 50.01 +36 42 06.5 .705 56.749 .556 32.4 104.9 59 39.5
1996 Apr 16 00 02 56 14.33 +36 23 19.6 .721 56.829 .543 31.7 104.1 52 39.0
1996 Apr 16 12 02 55 37.54 +36 04 37.9 .738 56.908 .531 31.0 103.4 46 38.5
1996 Apr 17 00 02 54 59.60 +35 45 57.8 .754 56.987 .518 30.3 102.6 40 38.0
1996 Apr 17 12 02 54 20.44 +35 27 16.0 .771 57.063 .506 29.6 101.7 34 37.4
1996 Apr 18 00 02 53 40.01 +35 08 29.0 .787 57.137 .493 28.8 100.8 29 36.8
1996 Apr 18 12 02 52 58.24 +34 49 33.3 .804 57.207 .480 28.1 99.8 25 36.2
1996 Apr 19 00 02 52 15.09 +34 30 25.5 .820 57.271 .468 27.4 98.8 21 35.6
1996 Apr 19 12 02 51 30.49 +34 11 01.8 .837 57.328 .455 26.7 97.7 20 34.9
1996 Apr 20 00 02 50 44.39 +33 51 18.7 .853 57.376 .442 25.9 96.5 20 34.2
R.A. J2000 Dec. = Geocentric astrometric right ascension and declination
referred to the mean equator and equinox of J2000.
Light time corrections have been applied
Delta = Geocentric distance of object in AU
Deldot = Geocentric radial velocity of object in km/s
r = Heliocentric distance of object in AU
Theta = Sun-Earth-Object angle in degrees
Beta = Sun-Object-Earth angle in degrees
Moon = Object-Earth-Moon angle in degrees
PsAng = Position angle of extended radius vector in degrees
Comet 1996 B2 Hyakutake Home Page
