Comment 7 for bug 1100766

OK, I created an element lookup at Horizons and reformatted the data for us.

Add the attached file to your ssystem.ini. Set "Show planet markers" and increase planet labels, and It shows a chain of positions, labeled with the UT of the element epoch. That means this is NOT a snapshot of positions labeled with time, ready to be printed! It means, "Using the elements valid at the time (UT) shown by the label, the object is <<here>>". In other words, the object should be closest (within a few arcmin) to the place indicated with the marker that bears time of observation (UT). I compared with Horizons (topocentric!), it's reasonably close.

I tried to have multiple entries for a single asteroid (hoping that in this case the closest element tuple (or even interpolation) would be used), but ... not yet, it just overwrites the previous data set. It would be a nice-to-have, allowing longer accurate trails for comets etc, but seems too much work for a day now.

It obviously makes sense to delete elements for times when the object is below your horizon, jut to remove confusing useless markers. But OTOH it may be interesting to see orbital changes in action!

- G.