The following information shows the result of the orbit fit based on Gary Bernstein's method. Most of the information should be self-explanatory. Take special note that while the original Bernstein software works with barycentric coordinates, we convert these results into a heliocentric coordinate system.
# Object: 21DF26
# Created Mon Jul 7 01:11:54 2025
# Orbit generated from Bernstein formalism
# Fitting 6 observations of 6
# Arc: 54.88d
# First observation: 2021/02/17
# Last observation: 2021/04/13
Preliminary a, adot, b, bdot, g, gdot:
0.000000 0.025215 0.000001 0.000542 0.022209 0.000000
# WARNING MRQMIN stopped after 13 iterations -- oscilliatory solution
# WARNING Fitting with energy constraint
# Chi-squared of fit: 0.89 DOF: 7 RMS: 0.07
# Min/Max residuals: -0.11 0.12
# Exact a, adot, b, bdot, g, gdot:
1.474071E-05 1.974922E-02 8.868033E-07 4.618973E-04 2.137434E-02 2.394570E-03
# Covariance matrix:
2.8198E-12 2.8427E-09 2.2307E-14 4.1273E-11 3.9548E-10 -4.3083E-08
2.8427E-09 3.8792E-06 3.0358E-11 5.6203E-08 5.3644E-07 -5.9566E-05
2.2307E-14 3.0358E-11 7.2796E-13 -4.4872E-12 4.2193E-12 -4.5816E-10
4.1273E-11 5.6203E-08 -4.4872E-12 8.6498E-10 7.7884E-09 -8.5683E-07
3.9548E-10 5.3644E-07 4.2193E-12 7.7884E-09 7.5867E-08 -7.5976E-06
-4.3083E-08 -5.9566E-05 -4.5816E-10 -8.5683E-07 -7.5976E-06 1.1576E-03
# lat0 lon0 xBary yBary zBary JD0
2.059963 152.266922 0.065917 0.035670 -0.994299 2459262.793611
# Heliocentric elements and errors
Epoch: 2459260.5000 = 2021/02/15
Mean Anomaly: 63.83594 +/- 79.474
Argument of Peri: 338.68626 +/- 243.824
Long of Asc Node: 95.98008 +/- 2.363
Inclination: 2.42705 +/- 0.067
Eccentricity: 0.12528528 +/- 1.6950
Semi-Major Axis: 49.84342791 +/- 15.2999
Time of Perihelion: 2436468.9934 +/- 26362.9
Perihelion: 43.59877995 +/- 85.5375
Aphelion: 56.08807586 +/- 86.2205
Period (y) 351.9006 +/- 162.03
# Ecliptic coordinates at JD0 (AU and AU/d)
Ecliptic X -42.22720938 +/- 0.5333
Ecliptic Y 22.27252411 +/- 0.2804
Ecliptic Z 1.68172713 +/- 0.0217
Ecliptic XDOT -0.00144011 +/- 0.0038
Ecliptic YDOT -0.00209123 +/- 0.0022
Ecliptic ZDOT 0.00006994 +/- 0.0002
# Distances at JD0 (AU)
Heliocenter to KBO 47.77060548 +/- 0.4892
Geocenter to KBO 46.78507918 +/- 0.6029
# Hcoef: 8.17
The following table shows the complete astrometric record for 21DF26. The first three columns show the date of observation. The next six columns are RA and DEC. The next column (when provided) is the observed magnitude and filter. The next column is the object name (21DF26) followed by the observatory code and reference code for the source of the astrometry.
2021 02 17.29281 10 20 01.212 +12 35 22.64 25.0r 21DF26 T09 C~8vMO 2021 02 17.36006 10 20 00.938 +12 35 24.46 24.8r 21DF26 T09 C~8vMO 2021 04 11.01552 10 16 49.055 +12 52 44.85 24.9r 21DF26 269 C~8vMO 2021 04 12.18899 10 16 46.153 +12 52 58.83 25.0r 21DF26 269 C~8vMO 2021 04 13.12555 10 16 43.903 +12 53 09.66 24.8r 21DF26 269 C~8vMO 2021 04 13.17212 10 16 43.792 +12 53 10.36 24.9r 21DF26 269 C~8vMO
The following table shows the residuals to the orbit fit. The first coumn is the point number. The second column is the time, in years, measured from the first observation. The third and fifth columns are the regularized positions used in the orbit fit. The fourth and sixth columns are the residuals, in arc seconds, for RA and Dec respectively.
1 0.0000 0.00 -0.03 0.00 -0.11
2 0.0002 -4.40 0.03 0.25 0.11
3 0.1443 -2998.39 -0.04 -37.63 -0.03
4 0.1476 -3043.02 0.07 -39.76 -0.04
5 0.1501 -3077.63 0.00 -41.42 -0.05
6 0.1503 -3079.39 -0.03 -41.34 0.12
The following table comes from a 10My integration of the orbit of the object. Three columns are shown. The first column is the result of integrating the nominal orbit. The other two columns are based on clones of the nominal orbit that are +/- 3 sigma from the nominal orbit. If all three types agree then the classificiation is deemed secure. The basis for these calculations is described in more detail in AJ, 129, 1117 (2005). Any use made of these calculations should refer to and credit this publication and the Deep Ecliptic Survey Team.
21DF26 quality flag:0 Type: ERR2LARGE ERR2LARGE ERR2LARGE axisobj 0.000 0.000 0.000 ecceobj -1.000 -1.000 -1.000 incobj -1.000 -1.000 -1.000 qmin 0.000 0.000 0.000 qmax 0.000 0.000 0.000 amean 0.000 0.000 0.000 amin 0.000 0.000 0.000 amax 0.000 0.000 0.000 emean 0.000 0.000 0.000 emin 0.000 0.000 0.000 emax 0.000 0.000 0.000 imean 0.000 0.000 0.000 imin 0.000 0.000 0.000 imax 0.000 0.000 0.000 excite_mean 0.000 0.000 0.000 fracstop 0.000 0.000 0.000 cjmean 0.000 0.000 0.000 libcent 0 -180.0 -180.0 -180.0 libamp 0 -180.0 -180.0 -180.0 libcent 1 -180.0 -180.0 -180.0 libamp 1 -180.0 -180.0 -180.0 libcent 2 -180.0 -180.0 -180.0 libamp 2 -180.0 -180.0 -180.0 libcent 3 -180.0 -180.0 -180.0 libamp 3 -180.0 -180.0 -180.0 libcent 4 -180.0 -180.0 -180.0 libamp 4 -180.0 -180.0 -180.0 kozaimean 0.0 0.0 0.0 kozaiamp 0.0 0.0 0.0