* Astronomy

Title: The Orbit of Asteroid 1994 PC1
Authors: Sophia Jane Balkoski, Laksh Bhasin, Milly KeQi Wang

Near-Earth Asteroids can be hazardous to the Earth, due to their orbital characteristics and proximity to inner Solar System planets. Using three sets of CCD images collected in June and July 2011, the orbital elements of asteroid 1994 PC1 were determined at solar opposition. The body's specific right ascension and declination were calculated through least squares plate reduction (taking parallax into account) and compared to those of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. These data were then used to find 1994 PC1's orbital elements, as well as any statistical uncertainty. This research points to an eccentricity of 0.3272 (+0.00009 or -0.0005), a semi major axis of 1.3401 AU (+0.0001 AU or -0.0004 AU), an inclination angle of 33.30° (+0.05° or -0.01°), a longitude of the ascending node of 118.01° (+0.09° or -0.02°), an argument of perihelion of 47.14° (+0.005° or -0.08°), and a time of last perihelion of JD 2455642.88 (+0.007 or -0.03).

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