Minor

Class to model minor celestial objetcs.

class pymeeus.Minor.Minor(q, e, i, omega, w, t)

Class Minor models minor celestial bodies.

__init__(q, e, i, omega, w, t)

Minor constructor.

The Minor object is initialized with this constructor, setting the orbital values and computing some internal parameters. This constructor is build upon the ‘set()’ method.

Parameters:

• q (float) – Perihelion distance, in Astronomical Units
• e (float) – Eccentricity of the orbit
• i (Angle) – Inclination of the orbit, as an Angle object
• omega (Angle) – Longitude of the ascending node, as an Angle object
• w (Angle) – Argument of the perihelion, as an Angle object
• t (Epoch) – Epoch of passage by perihelion, as an Epoch object

Raises:

TypeError if input value is of wrong type.

__weakref__

list of weak references to the object (if defined)

geocentric_position(epoch)

This method computes the geocentric position of a minor celestial body (right ascension and declination) for the given epoch, and referred to the standard equinox J2000.0. Additionally, it also computes the elongation angle to the Sun.

Parameters:epoch (Epoch) – Epoch to compute geocentric position, as an Epoch object Returns:A tuple containing the right ascension, the declination and the elongation angle to the Sun, as Angle objects Return type:tuple Raises:TypeError if input value is of wrong type.

>>> a = 2.2091404
>>> e = 0.8502196
>>> q = a * (1.0 - e)
>>> i = Angle(11.94524)
>>> omega = Angle(334.75006)
>>> w = Angle(186.23352)
>>> t = Epoch(1990, 10, 28.54502)
>>> minor = Minor(q, e, i, omega, w, t)
>>> epoch = Epoch(1990, 10, 6.0)
>>> ra, dec, p = minor.geocentric_position(epoch)
>>> print(ra.ra_str(n_dec=1))
10h 34' 13.7''
>>> print(dec.dms_str(n_dec=0))
19d 9' 32.0''
>>> print(round(p, 2))
40.51
>>> t = Epoch(1998, 4, 14.4358)
>>> q = 1.487469
>>> e = 1.0
>>> i = Angle(0.0)
>>> omega = Angle(0.0)
>>> w = Angle(0.0)
>>> minor = Minor(q, e, i, omega, w, t)
>>> epoch = Epoch(1998, 8, 5.0)
>>> ra, dec, p = minor.geocentric_position(epoch)
>>> print(ra.ra_str(n_dec=1))
5h 45' 34.5''
>>> print(dec.dms_str(n_dec=0))
23d 23' 53.0''
>>> print(round(p, 2))
45.73

heliocentric_ecliptical_position(epoch)

This method computes the heliocentric position of a minor celestial body, providing the result in ecliptical coordinates.

Parameters:epoch (Epoch) – Epoch to compute geocentric position, as an Epoch object Returns:A tuple containing longitude and latitude, as Angle objects Return type:tuple Raises:TypeError if input value is of wrong type.

>>> a = 2.2091404
>>> e = 0.8502196
>>> q = a * (1.0 - e)
>>> i = Angle(11.94524)
>>> omega = Angle(334.75006)
>>> w = Angle(186.23352)
>>> t = Epoch(1990, 10, 28.54502)
>>> epoch = Epoch(1990, 10, 6.0)
>>> minor = Minor(q, e, i, omega, w, t)
>>> lon, lat = minor.heliocentric_ecliptical_position(epoch)
>>> print(lon.dms_str(n_dec=1))
66d 51' 57.8''
>>> print(lat.dms_str(n_dec=1))
11d 56' 14.4''

set(q, e, i, omega, w, t)

Method used to set the orbital values and set some internal parameters.

Parameters:

• q (float) – Perihelion distance, in Astronomical Units
• e (float) – Eccentricity of the orbit
• i (Angle) – Inclination of the orbit, as an Angle object
• omega (Angle) – Longitude of the ascending node, as an Angle object
• w (Angle) – Argument of the perihelion, as an Angle object
• t (Epoch) – Epoch of passage by perihelion, as an Epoch object

Raises:

TypeError if input value is of wrong type.