Eventual accuracy of the orbital period of C/2026 A1 (MAPS)

Ascertain the eventual accuracy achievable in determining the orbital period of comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) as its motion becomes increasingly affected by nongravitational forces near perihelion.

Background

Current orbital solutions benefit from high-quality astrometry and prediscovery observations spanning a 52-day arc, yielding a relatively precise period estimate. However, as the comet approaches the Sun, nongravitational effects from outgassing may introduce modeling uncertainties.

The authors explicitly note that the final precision obtainable for the orbital period, given these forces and their imperfect modeling, remains undetermined.

References

The degree of accuracy with which the orbital period is eventually determined remains to be seen.

— New Kreutz Sungrazer C/2026 A1 (MAPS): Third Time's the Charm?  (2602.17626 - Sekanina, 19 Feb 2026) in Section 7: Final Remarks and Conclusions