Celestia Forums

I know physic and a astronomys but I still cant understand a couple of things:
1) How did they calculated the distance from EArth to Sedna? Using what method? I know some of them, but I cant think of any of them used in this case...
2) How did they calculated the orbit so precisely(I mean, we know its reaching the closest point, we know more or less the farthest point, we know that it takes 10500 years to complete an orbit) with so little observations and in so short period of time?
3) what is its inclination with respect to the ecliptic?
4) How do they know the color? Didn't they used and infrared telescope?

Hope someone can help me...
Thanks

ElPelado wrote:I know physic and a astronomys but I still cant understand a couple of things:
1) How did they calculated the distance from EArth to Sedna? Using what method? I know some of them, but I cant think of any of them used in this case...
2) How did they calculated the orbit so precisely(I mean, we know its reaching the closest point, we know more or less the farthest point, we know that it takes 10500 years to complete an orbit) with so little observations and in so short period of time?
3) what is its inclination with respect to the ecliptic?
4) How do they know the color? Didn't they used and infrared telescope?

Hope someone can help me...
Thanks

Why don't you just read my previous post (Sedna) and follow the references I gave. You could even determine the orbit parameters and thus the distance yourself from the discovery photos, by using the same (freeware) software as the discoverers did!

The hardest part is a reliable estimate of the inherent uncertainties, as usual...

Bye Fridger