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Article: <[email protected]>
From: [email protected](Nancy )
Subject: Re: IN SYMPATHY to the Hale-Bopp Cooperative
Date: 28 Feb 1997 16:45:14 GMT
In article <[email protected]> Jim
Scotti writes:
>> 8. What was the observed change that supposedly required
>> JPL to tighten the eccentricity in the Hale-Bopp, so it
could
>> move toward an occultation with Gamma Andormedae,
>> last June?
>> Nancy ([email protected])
>
> JPL does not change the elements of any object in order to
> move the object toward (or away, for that matter) some
> predicted condition. They will use the observed condition,
> however, in their orbital solution later.
> [email protected] (Jim Scotti)
(Begin ZetaTal[TM])
Along these lines, since we are talking about eccentricity, just
WHY would the eccentricity change? This is the abrupt turnaround
at the time a comet makes its round about the Sun. The tightness
of the loop.
Since you admitted to having NO prior observation of what you
were calling Hale-Bopp, why would you decide the eccentricity
would change? Can't base this on history? Can't base this on
observations? Why did this change so sharply, other than to
arrange for the orbit of Hale-Bopp to take a giant step toward
occulting Gamma Andromedae at perihelion? The reasons?
(End ZetaTalk[TM])