Orbital Elements for 170 Near-Earth Comets

Orbital elements for 170 Near-Earth Comets (NECs) provide J2000 heliocentric ecliptic parameters. The dataset is sourced from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and was last updated in February 2026.

Use Cases

• Model comet trajectory and close-approach risk using the provided J2000 heliocentric ecliptic orbital elements.
• Analyze orbital element distributions across the 170 Near-Earth Comets to identify population clusters.
• Validate dynamical models by comparing predicted orbital evolution against the cataloged elements for NECs.

Strengths

• Contains data for 170 distinct Near-Earth Comets.
• Orbital elements are calculated for the standardized J2000 ecliptic reference frame.
• Sourced from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, an authoritative space science organization.

Limitations

• The dataset size is limited to 170 objects, which is a small sample of the known comet population.
• Specific column names and data formats (e.g., perihelion distance, eccentricity) are not detailed in the input.
• The 'notspecified' license may create ambiguity for commercial or redistribution use.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

Collection Method

Calculated orbital elements from observational data, sourced from the JPL Small-Body Database.

Time Range

null

Freshness

Last updated in February 2026.

Geography

Heliocentric (solar system) orbits.