<p>I think I found the answer after some search. What I have been after is the <a href="https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi" rel="nofollow noreferrer">JPL Small-Body Database Browser</a>. You can simply enter the object name to the search field and it returns a page where you will find the orbital uncertainities along with other useful data. For example, type in 'eros' and you will see the results. Of course, this can be automated in python thanks to the <a href="https://astroquery.readthedocs.io/en/latest/jplsbdb/jplsbdb.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">astroquery.jplsbdb</a> module.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-13T23:46:39.363Z
BTW, it's not hard to access Horizons via https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons_batch.cgi just using the Requests module. See my script in https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/44903/16685 for an example.
PM 2Ring
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-19T16:17:29.890Z
@PM2Ring Thanks for the link. However I ended up using the python module as it already returns data from sbdb, and I just need to extract the ['orbit']['elements'] part to obtain the six standard orbital parameters with their uncertainities.
mysterium
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-13T14:19:56.720Z
2021-08-13T14:19:56.720Z
mysterium
<p>NASA JPL HORIZONS returns a set of uncertainty parameters in full-precision HTML condition query ('-sigma' columns). Is that what you mean?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-13T13:58:08.600Z
Does this work if someone uses the interface on the website? Can you show a screen shot or explain what " full-precision HTML condition query ('-sigma' columns)" means? If you have a clarifying question for the OP you can do that with a comment. This is an answer post, it's not a place to ask questions. *Thanks!*
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-13T15:35:54.483Z
Actually, it was done by a comment...Link is by OP, that's why I didn't weighted intended comment by a screenshot.
Lariliss
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-13T12:52:38.203Z
2021-08-13T12:52:38.203Z
Lariliss
<p>I'm trying to retrieve the orbital elements' uncertainities for asteroids queried from <a href="https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">NASA JPL Horizons</a>. However I'm not able to find them in the query fields returned in python. Nor am I able to find any reference to individual uncertainites of respective orbital elements in the Horizons website. The desired uncertainites are to be used later to populate a clone of particles for an orbital integration simulation.</p>
<p>This seems to be straightforward, but I'm probably missing something.</p>
<p>Any ideas and help highly appreciated.</p>
<p>Thanks !</p>

<asteroids><n-body-simulations><ephemeris>
Uncertainities of orbital elements queried from JPL Horizons
mysterium
# Uncertainities of orbital elements queried from JPL Horizons

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-08-13)

I'm trying to retrieve the orbital elements' uncertainities for asteroids queried from [NASA JPL Horizons](https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/). However I'm not able to find them in the query fields returned in python. Nor am I able to find any reference to individual uncertainites of respective orbital elements in the Horizons website. The desired uncertainites are to be used later to populate a clone of particles for an orbital integration simulation.

This seems to be straightforward, but I'm probably missing something.

Any ideas and help highly appreciated.

Thanks !

**Tags:** asteroids, n-body-simulations, ephemeris


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2021-08-13. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

I think I found the answer after some search. What I have been after is the [JPL Small-Body Database Browser](https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi). You can simply enter the object name to the search field and it returns a page where you will find the orbital uncertainities along with other useful data. For example, type in 'eros' and you will see the results. Of course, this can be automated in python thanks to the [astroquery.jplsbdb](https://astroquery.readthedocs.io/en/latest/jplsbdb/jplsbdb.html) module.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: BTW, it's not hard to access Horizons via https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons_batch.cgi just using the Requests module. See my script in https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/44903/16685 for an example.  
> **username_0**: @PM2Ring Thanks for the link. However I ended up using the python module as it already returns data from sbdb, and I just need to extract the ['orbit']['elements'] part to obtain the six standard orbital parameters with their uncertainities.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-08-13. Score: 1

NASA JPL HORIZONS returns a set of uncertainty parameters in full-precision HTML condition query ('-sigma' columns). Is that what you mean?

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Does this work if someone uses the interface on the website? Can you show a screen shot or explain what " full-precision HTML condition query ('-sigma' columns)" means? If you have a clarifying question for the OP you can do that with a comment. This is an answer post, it's not a place to ask questions. *Thanks!*  
> **username_2**: Actually, it was done by a comment...Link is by OP, that's why I didn't weighted intended comment by a screenshot.  

---

