On the nodal distance between two Keplerian trajectories with a common focus

Abstract

We study the possible values of the nodal distance $\delta_{\rm nod}$ between two non-coplanar Keplerian trajectories ${\cal A}, {\cal A}'$ with a common focus. In particular, given ${\cal A}'$ and assuming it is bounded, we compute optimal lower and upper bounds for $\delta_{\rm nod}$ as functions of a selected pair of orbital elements of ${\cal A}$, when the other elements vary. This work arises in the attempt to extend to the elliptic case the optimal estimates for the orbit distance given in (Gronchi and Valsecchi 2013) in case of a circular trajectory ${\cal A}'$. These estimates are relevant to understand the observability of celestial bodies moving (approximately) along ${\cal A}$ when the observer trajectory is (close to) ${\cal A}'$.