K6

ASTRONOMICAL CONSTANTS

Selected Astronomical Constants

Units: The units meter (m), kilogram (kg), and SI second (s) are the units of length, mass 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 0017 202 098 95 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., A3 S 1 D 2 . Some constants from the JPL DE405 ephemeris are consistent with TDB seconds (see page L2). For these quantities both TDB and SI compatible values are given, which are indicated in brackets.
Quantity Dening constants: 1 2 3 4 5 Speed of light Gaussian gravitational constant LG LB Rate of advance of Earth rotation angle (ERA) c = 299 792 458 m s1 k = 0017 202 098 95 LG = 6969 290 134 LB = 1550 519 768 1010 108 CEJA I* A IE I06 IA Symbol, Value(s), [Uncertainty] Refs.

= 1002 737 811 911 354 48 revolutions per UT1 day

Other constants and quantities: 6 7 LC Light-time for unit distance LC = 1480 826 867 41 108 [2 1017 ] . 004 783 806 1 (TDB) A = 499s . 004 786 385 2 (SI) = 499s [2 108 ] 1/A = 173144 632 684 7 au/d (TDB) A = cA = 149 597 870 691 m (TDB) = 149 597 871 464 m (SI) [6] ae = 6 378 1366 m [010] f = 0003 352 8197 = 1/298256 42 [1/000001] J2 = 0001 082 635 9 [1 1010 ] = 7292 115 105 rad s1 W0 = 6263 685 60 107 m2 s2 [05] GE = 3986 004 329 1014 m3 s2 (TDB) = 3986 004 391 1014 m3 s2 (SI) = 3986 004 418 1014 m3 s2 (SI) [8 105 ] GS = A3 k 2 /D 2 = 1327 124 400 179 87 1020 m3 s2 (TDB) = 1327 124 420 76 1020 m3 s2 (SI) [5 1010 ] G = 6674 28 1011 m3 kg1 s2 = 6673 1011 m3 kg1 s2 [0067 1013 ] and [10 1013 ], respectively IE JEA

Unit distance, astronomical unit in metres

JE

9 10 11 12 13 14

Equatorial radius for Earth Flattening factor for Earth Dynamical form-factor for the Earth Nominal mean angular velocity of Earth rotation Potential of the geoid Geocentric gravitational constant

GEA GEA GE IEG GE JA GE

15

Heliocentric gravitational constant

JA E C E

16

Constant of gravitation

ASTRONOMICAL CONSTANTS
Selected Astronomical Constants (continued)
Quantity Other constants (continued): 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Ratio: mass of Moon to that of the Earth Ratio: mass of Sun to that of the Earth Ratio: mass of Sun to that of the Earth + Moon Mass of the Sun Mass of the Earth Mean obliquity of the ecliptic at J2000 Rates of precession (TDB) at J20000 General precession in longitude Rate of change in obliquity Precession of the equator in longitude Precession of the equator in obliquity Constant of nutation Solar parallax Constant of aberration = 1/81300 56 = 0012 300 0383 [5 1010 ] S/E = GS/GE = 332 946050 895 (S/E)/(1 + ) = 328 900561 400 S = GS/G = 19884 1030 kg E = GE/G = 5972 1986 1024 kg
0

K7

Symbol, Value(s), [Uncertainty]

Refs.

EJ J J J J I06 A I06 A

23

26 21. 406 = 84 381. 406

pA = 5028. 796 195 per Julian century = 46. 836 769 per Julian century = 5038. 481 507 per Julian century = 0. 025 754 per Julian century N = 9. 2052 331 = sin
1

24 25 26 27

at epoch J2000

I A

(ae /A) = 8. 794 143 at epoch J2000

= 20. 495 51

Ratios of mass of Sun to masses of the planets: JPL DE405 Ephemeris (J) Mercury Venus Earth + Moon Mars 6 023 600 408 52371 328 900561 400 3 098 708 Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune 1 0473486 3 497898 22 90298 19 41224 Pluto 135 200 000

28

Minor planet masses: mass in solar mass 1 Ceres 2 Pallas 4 Vesta Hilton (H) 439 1010 004 159 1010 005 169 1010 011 4704 105 2528 105 7805 105 5667 105 JPL DE405 (J) 47 1010 10 1010 13 1010 2366 104 406 105 347 105 2089 104

29

Masses of the larger natural satellites: mass satellite/mass of the planet (see pages F3, F5) Jupiter Io Europa Ganymede Callisto Saturn Titan Uranus Titania Oberon Neptune Triton

30

Equatorial radii in km: Cartographic Coordinates (CC) and JPL DE405 Ephemeris (J) Mercury Venus Earth Mars CC A 2 4397 10 6 0518 10 6 37814 001 3 39619 01 JPL 2 43976 6 0523 6 378137 3 397515 Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune CC A 71 492 4 60 268 4 25 559 4 24 764 15 Pluto CC A 1 195 5

Moon (mean) 1 7374 1 Sun (I*) 696 000

The list below gives the references (Refs.) which indicate where the constants has been used, quoted or derived from. The full references may be found at the end of Section L Notes and References, as well as on The Astronomical Almanac Online. The IAU WG on Numerical Standards for Fundamental Astronomy is developing a list of "Current Best Estimates" (see http://maia.usno.navy.mil/NSFA.html) where some of these and other constants make be found. A Constants used in this publication. H Hilton, AJ, 1999. C CODATA 2006. I06 IAU XXV GA 2006. CC IAU/IAG WGCCRE 2007. I IAU XXIV GA 2000. E IERS Conventions 2003 (IAU 2000). I* IAU 1976. G IAG XXII GA 1999, SC3. J JPL DE405/LE405 Ephemeris.