What are the asteroids orbital elements?
The following elements are for the epoch JD 2450500.5 (Feb 21 1997) and relative to the equinox J2000.0. Semimajor axis = 0.99778030 astronomical units, eccentricity 0.51478431, inclination i=19.812285 degrees, longitude of the ascending node = 126.373212 degrees, argument of perihelion = 43.640637 degrees, mean anomaly = 40.048932 degrees, and epoch of perihelion passage = 1997 Jan 11.50 UT = JD 2450460.00. These elements are derived from the Asteroid Orbital Elements Database maintained by Ted Bowell at Lowell Observatory. You can also find them at Minor Planet Center’s Near-Earth Object page. • What does it mean for the asteroid to be in a “horseshoe” orbit? There is no short answer to this one. Please see the 3753 Cruithne main web page for more details. • Are there any other known horseshoe orbits? There is only one other known case, involving the small moons Janus and Epimetheus of the planet Saturn. Janus plays the role of the Earth in that case, and Epimetheus that of Cruithne.
