Selected Astronomical Constants, 2009

------------------------------------This is the ASCII version of pages K6-K7 of The Astronomical Almanac 2009. The
following nomenclature is used in this file:
(a) greek letters, as in TeX, are spelt out, e.g., alpha,
(b) the symbols ^ and _ are used (as in TeX) to indicate superscripts and su
bscripts, respectively,
(c) the symbols *, / and +/- denote multiplication, division, and plus-minus
uncertainty bounds, respectively, and
(d) numerical exponents are given with the Fortran D format.
The units meter (m), kilogram (kg), and SI second (s) are the units of length, m
ass and time in the International System of Units (SI).
The astronomical unit of time is a time interval of one day (D) of 86400 seconds
. An interval of 36525 days is one Julian century.
The astronomical unit of mass is the mass of the Sun (S). The astronomical unit
of length is that length (A) for which the
Gaussian gravitational constant (k) takes the value 0.01720209895 when the units
of measurement are the astronomical units of length,
mass and time. The dimensions of k^2 are those of the constant of gravitation (
G), i.e., A^3/S/D^2.
Some constants from the JPL DE405 ephemeris are consistent with TDB seconds (see
The Astronomical Almanac page L2).
For these quantities both TDB and SI compatible values are given, which are indi
cated in brackets.
|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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|
| Description of Quantity
|
Symbol = Value
| Unit
| Uncertainty | Ref.
|
|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|
|
| Defining constants
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1 | Gaussian gravitational constant
|
k = 0.0172
0209895
|
|
| I*
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2 | Speed of light
|
c = 299792
458
| m/s
|
| C E J A |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 3 | L_G
|
L_G = 6.9692
90134D-10
|
|
| I E
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 4 | L_B
|
L_B = 1.5505
1976772D-08 |
| [2D-17]
| I06 E |
|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|
|
| Other constants and quantities:
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 5 | L_C
|
L_C = 1.4808

2686741D-08 |
| [2D-17]
| I E
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 6 | Light-time for unit distance
|
tau_A = 499.0
047838061
| s
(TDB) | [2D-08s]
| J E A |
|
|
|
tau_A = 499.0
047863852
| s
(SI)
|
|
|
|
|
|
1/tau_A = 173.14
46326847
| AU/d (TDB) |
|
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 7 | Unit distance, astronomical unit (c*tau_A)
|
A = 1.4959
7870691D11
| m
(TDB) | [6]
| J E
|
|
|
|
A = 1.4959
7871464D11
| m
(SI)
|
|
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 8 | Equatorial radius for Earth
|
a_e = 637813
6.6
| m
| [0.10]
| G E A |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 9 | Flattening factor for Earth
|
f = 0.0033
528197
|
|
| G E A |
|
|
f = 1/298.
25642
|
| [1/0.00001] |
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 10 | Dynamical form-factor for the Earth
|
J_2 = 0.0010
826359
|
| [1D-10]
| G E
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 11 | Nominal mean angular velocity of Earth rotation |
omega = 7.2921
15D-05
| rad/s
| [variable] | I E G |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 12 | Potential of the geoid
|
W_0 = 6.2636
8560D07
| m^2/s^2
| [0.5]
| G E
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 13 | Geocentric gravitational constant
|
GE = 3.9860
04329D14
| m^3/s^2 (TDB)| [8D05]
| J A
|
|
|
|
GE = 3.9860
04391D14
| m^3/s^2 (SI) |
|
|
|
|
|
GE = 3.9860
04418D14
| m^3/s^2
|
| G E
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 14 | Heliocentric gravitational constant (A^3*k^2/D^2) |
GS = 1.3271
2440017987D20 | m^3/s^2 (TDB)| [5D10]
| J A
|
|
|
|
GS = 1.3271
2442076D20
| m^3/s^2 (SI) |
| E
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 15 | Constant of gravitation
|
G = 6.6742
8D-11
| m^3/kg/s^2 | [0.067D-13] | C
|
|
|
|
G = 6.673D
-11
| m^3/kg/s^2 | [1.0D-13] | E
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 16 | General precession in longitude at J2000
|
p_A = 5028.79

6195
| " /Julian cy |
| I06 A P |
|
|
|
p_A = 5028.79
695
| " /Julian cy |
| P I E |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 17 | Mean obliquity of the ecliptic at J2000
|
epsilon_0 = 84381.
406
| "
| [0.0001]
| I06 A |
|
|
|
epsilon_0 = 84381.
4059
| "
|
| E
|
|
|
|
epsilon_0 = 84381.
448
| "
| [0.0003]
| I* I
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 18 | Ratio: mass of Moon to that of the Earth
|
mu = 1/81.3
0056
|
| [5D-10]
| E J
|
|
|
|
mu = 0.0123
000383
|
|
|
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 19 | Ratio: mass of Sun to that of the Earth (S/E)
|
GS/GE = 332946
.050895
|
|
| J
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 20 | Ratio: mass of Sun to that of the Earth + Moon
| (S/E)/(1+mu) = 328900
.561400
|
|
| J
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 21 | Mass of the Sun (GS/G)
|
S = 1.9884
D30
| kg
|
|
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 22 | Constant of nutation at epoch J2000.0
|
N = 9.2052
331
| "
|
| I
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 23 | Solar parallax (sin^{-1}(a_e/A))
|
pi_odot = 8.7941
43
| "
|
|
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 24 | Constant of aberration at epoch J2000.0
|
kappa = 20.495
51
| "
|
|
|
|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|
| 25 | Ratios of mass of Sun to masses of the planets: JPL DE405 Ephemeris (J)
|
|
|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|
|
| Mercury
|
6023600
|
|
|
| Venus
|
408523.71
|
|
|
| Earth + Moon |
328900.561400
|
|
|
| Mars
|
3098708
|
|
|
| Jupiter
|
1047.3486
|
|
|
| Saturn
|
3497.898
|
|
|
| Uranus
|
22902.98

|
|
19412.24
|
|
|
| Pluto
| 135200000
|
|
|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|
|
| 26 | Minor planet masses: mass in solar mass
|
|
|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|
|
| | Hilton (H)
| Uncertainty | JPL DE405 (J)
|
|
|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|
|
| 1 | Ceres
| 4.39D-10 | [+/-0.04] |
4.7D-10
|
|
|
| 2 | Pallas | 1.59D-10 | [+/-0.05] |
1.0D-10
|
|
|
| 4 | Vesta
| 1.69D-10 | [+/-0.11] |
1.3D-10
|
|
|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|
|
| 27 | Masses of the larger natural satellites: mass satellite/mass of the plan
et (see pages F3, F5)
|
|
|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|
|
| Planet
| Satellite | Mass Ratio
|
|
|
|--------------|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|
|
| Jupiter
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Io
| 4.70D-05
|
|
|
|
| Europa
| 2.53D-05
|
|
|
|
| Ganymede | 7.80D-05
|
|
|
|
| Callisto | 5.67D-05
|
|
|
| Saturn
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Titan
| 2.37D-04
|
|
|
| Uranus
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Titania | 4.06D-05
|
|
|
|
| Oberon
| 3.47D-05
|
|
|
| Neptune
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Triton
| 2.09D-04
|
|
|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|
|
| 28 | Equatorial radii in km: Cartographic Coordinates 2007 (CC) and JPL DE405
Ephemeris (J)
|
|
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| Neptune

-----------------------------|
|
|
| Body
| CC A
| Uncertainty | JPL (J) | Unit/Comment
|
|
|
|--------------|-----------|--------------|------------|-----------------------------------------------|
|
|
| Mercury
| 2439.7 | [ +/- 1.0 ] | 2439.76 | km
|
|
|
| Venus
| 6051.8 | [ +/- 1.0 ] | 6052.3
| km
|
|
|
| Earth
| 6378.14 | [ +/- 0.01 ] | 6378.137 | km
|
|
|
| Mars
| 3396.19 | [ +/- 0.1 ] | 3397.515 | km
|
|
|
| Jupiter
| 71492
| [ +/- 4
] |
| km
|
|
|
| Saturn
| 60268
| [ +/- 4
] |
| km
|
|
|
| Uranus
| 25559
| [ +/- 4
] |
| km
|
|
|
| Neptune
| 24764
| [ +/-15
] |
| km
|
|
|
| Pluto
| 1195
| [ +/- 5
] |
| km
|
|
|
| Moon
| 1737.4 | [ +/- 1
] |
| km, mean radius
|
|
|
| Sun
|696000
|
|
| km, IAU 1976 value
|
|
|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|
|Ref.| The references indicate where the constant has been used, quoted or deriv
ed from:
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| A | Constants used in The Astronomical Almanac 2009.
|
| C | CODATA 2006, http://physics.nist.gov/constants page 1.
|
| CC | Report 10 of the IAU/IAG Working Group on Cartographic Coordinates and Ro
tational Elements: 2007, Seidelmann, P.K. et al.,
|
|
| Cel. Mech., & Dyn Astro., 98, 155-180, 2007, http://astrogeology.usgs.go
v./Projects/WGCCRE.
|
| E | IERS Conventions 2003, Technical Note 32, McCarthy, D.D. & Petit, G., Cha
pter 1.
|
| G | IAG XXII GA, 1999, Special Commission SC3, Fundamental Constants, Groten,
E., Geodesists Handbook 2000,
|
|
| `Parameters of Common Relevance of Astronomy, Geodesy, and Geodynamics',
J. Geod., 74, 134-140.
|
| H | Hilton, J. Astrophysical Journal, 117, 1077-1086, 1999.
|
| I06| IAU XXVI General Assembly (2006) resolutions, including the Report of the
IAU Division I Working Group on
|
|
| Precession and the Ecliptic, Cel. Mech. & Dyn. Astr., 94, 351-367, 2006.
|
| I | IAU XXIV General Assembly (2000) resolutions B1.5, B1.6, B1.9, & IAU2000A
precession-nutation.
|
| I*| IAU 1976 System of Astronomical Constants.
|
| J | JPL IOM 312.F-98-048, Standish, E.M., 1998 (DE405/LE405 Ephemeris).
|
| P | Capitaine, N., Wallace, P.T., & Chapront, J., Astronomy & Astrophysics,

412, 567-586, 2003.

|
|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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| Updated 2007 October 18
|
|+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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