Report of the IAU/IAG Working Group on cartographic coordinates and rotational elements: 2006

Authors

P. Seidelmann, University of Virginia - Charlottesville
B. Archinal, U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ
M. A'Hearn, University of Maryland - College Park
A. Conrad, W. M. Keck Observatory, Kamuela, HI
G. Consolmagno, Vatican Observatory, Vatican City, Vatican City State
D. Hestroffer, IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, CNRS, Paris, France
J. Hilton, U.S. Naval Observatory, Washington, DC
G. Krasinsky, Institute for Applied Astronomy, St. Petersburg, Russia
G. Neumann, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
J. Oberst, DLR Berlin Adlershof, Berlin, Germany
Phil Stooke, The University of Western Ontario
E. F. Tedesco, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
D. Tholen, University of Hawaii at Hilo
P. C. Thomas, Cornell University
I. P. Williams, Queen Mary, University of London, London, UK

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2007

Volume

98

Issue

3

Journal

Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy

First Page

155

Last Page

180

URL with Digital Object Identifier

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10569-007-9072-y

Abstract

Every three years the IAU/IAG Working Group on Cartographic Coordinates and Rotational Elements revises tables giving the directions of the poles of rotation and the prime meridians of the planets, satellites, minor planets, and comets. This report introduces improved values for the pole and rotation rate of Pluto, Charon, and Phoebe, the pole of Jupiter, the sizes and shapes of Saturn satellites and Charon, and the poles, rotation rates, and sizes of some minor planets and comets. A high precision realization for the pole and rotation rate of the Moon is provided. The expression for the Sun’s rotation has been changed to be consistent with the planets and to account for light travel time.