Pluto Heliocentric Trajectory Data in Multiple Coordinate Systems

NASA provides daily heliocentric trajectory data for the planet Pluto. The data includes positions in Heliographic, Heliographic Inertial, and Solar Ecliptic coordinates, calculated using the 'Mean of Date' method for the Equinox Epoch. The original trajectory data is sourced from NASA JPL's Horizons system.

Use Cases

• Modeling spacecraft ephemeris near Pluto based on the description of using planetary orbit data as a proxy.
• Analyzing Pluto's position relative to the sun over time based on the daily heliocentric trajectory data.
• Comparing coordinate transformations between Heliographic, Heliographic Inertial, and Solar Ecliptic systems.
• Studying the drift of the First Point of Aries (FPA) reference frame over time.

Strengths

• Data originates from the authoritative NASA JPL Horizons system.
• Coordinates are provided in three distinct systems (Heliographic, Heliographic Inertial, Solar Ecliptic).
• The Equinox Epoch is defined using the 'Mean of Date' method, as specified in the description.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is provided in BIN, TEXT, and HTML formats, which may require specific parsing tools.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Calculated from original trajectory data sourced from NASA JPL's Horizons system.

Time Range

Daily data; specific temporal coverage is not stated.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 07:39:47.332527; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Heliocentric (solar system) scale.