Pluto's ephemeris from stellar occultations
Abstract
From stellar occultations observed between 1988 to 2016, we derived accurate astrometric positions of Pluto with a precision of 2-10 milliarcsec. These positions were used to refine the ephemeris of Pluto. The precision of Pluto's orbit reaches now about 2 mas over the 2000-2020 period which is about 100 times better than other ephemerides. This ephemeris was used to accurately predict the stellar occultation by Pluto on 15 August 2018 at a milliarcsec level precision (i.e. about 10km).
- Publication:
-
EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019
- Pub Date:
- September 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019EPSC...13.1468D