Abstract
Abstract Results of photographic positional observations of Pluto with the Pulkovo Normal Astrograph (NA, 33/346), made in 1930-1992 and reduced to the system FK5 J2000.0, are presented. All the positions of Pluto observed are compared with the ephemerides JPL DE200. The mean residuals (O - C) in R. A. and Decl. for the middle epochs of observations are given. It is shown that in 1989-1992 the residuals (O - C). reached 2.24 ÷ 2.51 arcsec and keep tendency to further growing. The comparison between the averaged values (O - C)α obtained from observations with different telescopes in 1989-1992 is made, and the existence of a well pronounced trend found in earlier work is confirmed. The spectral analysis of the sets of positional and photometric observations of Pluto detected in (O - C)α and (O - C)δ at the 95 percent confidence the harmonics with amplitudes 0.16 ± 0.04 arcsec, 0.27 ± 0.05 arcsec, and periods 2.11 ± 0.02 yr, 16.5 ± 0.05 yr, respectively. The periodic component with amplitude 0m.16 ± 0m. 04 and period 7.88 ± 0.26 yr is confirmed from analysis of Pluto's light curve for 1954–1990. Possible explanations of the trend and the periodicities found are discussed.
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