(174567) Varda = 2003 MW12 Precovery Images
(174567) Varda = 2003 MW12 Precovery Images
The original elements for 2003 MW12 were already quite accurate (5 oppositions from 2002 to 2007), so the identification of additional
images from DSS was straightforward. Eventually, 2003 MW12 was found on nine plates at seven oppositions going back to 1980.
The following astrometry was submitted to the Minor Planet Center:
K03M12W 1980 03 19.68447 14 50 38.47 -02 28 38.7 260
K03M12W 1983 05 06.58984 14 59 30.58 -02 10 42.5 260
K03M12W 1984 07 18.43762 14 59 49.17 -02 04 07.4 260
K03M12W 1989 07 26.39593 15 18 55.21 -02 06 21.3 260
K03M12W 1992 05 30.54075 15 33 09.73 -02 05 13.3 260
K03M12W 1992 06 05.54100 15 32 46.93 -02 04 15.8 260
K03M12W 1993 03 31.69936 15 40 47.13 -02 25 50.4 260
K03M12W 1993 06 15.23576 15 36 12.32 -02 03 12.8 261
K03M12W 1994 03 10.48438 15 45 25.33 -02 35 11.1 261
At the end of this page are the elements and residuals before and with the new data. The new orbit was much more accurate because the object
had now been observed for 27 years instead of five years, and consequently 2003 MW12 was numbered in January of 2008.
View the Discovery Announcement .
The two images from 1992 were taken only
six days apart, and this animation shows
the motion during that interval. The image
of (174567) 2003 MW12 from May 30 is on
the left, while the image from June 5 is on
the right. The display is 8' x 4' in size.
1994 Mar. 10.48438 UTC RA 15h45m25.33s Dec. -02°35'11.1"
55-minute exposure
Size = 150" x 150"
Palomar Mountain-DSS plate XJ870-A0TN
1993 June 15.23576 UTC RA 15h36m12.32s Dec. -02°03'12.8"
95-minute exposure
Size = 150" x 150"
Palomar Mountain-DSS plate XP870-A0TG
1993 Mar. 31.69936 UTC RA 15h40m47.13s Dec. -02°25'50.4"
65-minute exposure
Size = 150" x 150"
Siding Spring Observatory-DSS plate ER798-A2PC
1992 June 05.54100 UTC RA 15h32m46.93s Dec. -02°04'15.8"
60-minute exposure
Size = 150" x 150"
Siding Spring Observatory-DSS plate ER870-A2BK
1992 May 30.54075 UTC RA 15h33m09.73s Dec. -02°05'13.3"
60-minute exposure
Size = 150" x 150"
Siding Spring Observatory-DSS plate ER869-A2BJ
1989 July 26.39593 UTC RA 15h18m55.21s Dec. -02°06'21.3"
75-minute exposure
Size = 150" x 150"
Siding Spring Observatory-DSS plate ER797-A0K1
1984 July 18.43762 UTC RA 14h59m49.17s Dec. -02°04'07.4"
60-minute exposure
Size = 150" x 150"
Siding Spring Observatory-DSS plate ER796-A0K8
1983 May 06.58984 UTC RA 14h59m30.58s Dec. -02°10'42.5"
60-minute exposure
Size = 255" x 255"
Siding Spring Observatory-DSS plate S796-02O5
1980 Mar. 19.68447 UTC RA 14h50m38.47s Dec. -02°28'38.7"
72.5-minute exposure
Size = 255" x 255"
Siding Spring Observatory-DSS plate S867-00WN
Original elements and residuals from the Minor Planet Center
2003 MW12
Epoch 2007 Oct. 27.0 TT = JDT 2454400.5 MPC
M 259.60537 (2000.0) P Q
n 0.00315756 Peri. 180.94343 +0.99627112 -0.08228291 T = 2486195.52433 JDT
a 46.0152557 Node 184.05966 +0.08136513 +0.99608231 q = 39.5454658
e 0.1406010 Incl. 21.50269 +0.02869802 +0.03239691
P 312 H 3.6 G 0.15 U 4
From 41 observations at 5 oppositions, 2002-2007, mean residual 0".46.
Residuals
20020530 644 0.5- 0.1- 20030707 691 0.3- 0.2- 20060225 291 0.1+ 0.1+
20020530 644 1.2- 0.0 20050504 691 0.7- 0.6+ 20060225 291 0.2+ 0.2+
20020530 644 0.8- 0.3+ 20050504 691 0.7- 0.5+ 20060227 291 0.0 0.2+
20020607 644 0.4- 0.2- 20050504 691 0.6- 0.7+ 20060227 291 0.1- 0.3+
20030501 691 0.8+ 1.3- 20050506 691 0.1- 0.2- 20060227 291 0.1+ 0.4+
20030501 691 1.4+ 0.9- 20050506 691 0.2+ 0.2- 20070222 850 (0.2- 1.7-)
20030621 691 0.2- 0.0 20050506 691 0.0 0.2- 20070223 850 0.5- 0.6-
20030621 691 0.3- 0.5+ 20050510 691 0.1- 0.3- 20070611 H01 0.5+ 0.4-
20030621 691 0.2- 0.2+ 20050510 691 0.2- 0.0 20070611 H01 0.4+ 0.3-
20030628 691 0.1- 0.3+ 20050510 691 0.1+ 0.0 20070611 H01 0.5+ 0.3-
20030628 691 0.4- 0.6+ 20050514 691 0.4+ 0.5- 20070611 H01 0.6+ 0.5-
20030628 691 1.1+ 0.1+ 20050514 691 0.4+ 0.1- 20070611 H01 0.4+ 0.4-
20030707 691 0.1- 0.1- 20050514 691 0.5- 0.4- 20070614 688 0.4+ 0.5-
20030707 691 0.0 0.5+ 20060225 291 0.1- 0.1+ 20070614 688 0.3+ 0.5-
Revised elements and residuals from the Minor Planet Center
(new astrometry is shown in red)
(174567) 2003 MW12
Epoch 2007 Oct. 27.0 TT = JDT 2454400.5 MPC
M 259.75619 (2000.0) P Q
n 0.00315584 Peri. 180.81172 +0.99645919 -0.07997533 T = 2486165.08969 JDT
a 46.0320007 Node 184.05860 +0.07905814 +0.99626797 q = 39.5579191
e 0.1406431 Incl. 21.50251 +0.02861618 +0.03246645
P 312 H 3.6 G 0.15 U 2
From 49 observations at 12 oppositions, 1980-2007, mean residual 0".38.
Residuals
19800319 413 0.1+ 0.2+ 19830506 413 0.2+ 0.2- 19840718 413 0.0 0.5+ 19890726 413 0.0 0.3- 19920530 413 0.3- 0.4+ 19920605 413 0.1+ 0.7- 19930331 413 0.6- 0.0 19930615 675 0.3- 0.3- 19940310 675 0.2- 0.3-
DSS precovery images are from DSS plate archive scans, which are © copyright California Institute of Technology.
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