credits: animation created from xephem (v_2.9.2), whirlgif and xv.

The first sequence in this animation shows the trajectories of minor planets (1) Ceres, (2) Pallas and (4) Vesta. Note the unusually large component of Pallas' motion perpendicular to the ecliptic.

In the next sequence, positions for all observed minor planets are given at incremental epochs during the mission for an observer at constant heliocentric longitude, and varying latitude above the ecliptic (given by the vertical scale on the right). (Only three of the minor planets are labelled.) The animation shows the motion of the minor planets over a certain time interval from a given observation latitude, before moving to views at successively lower observing latitudes. In general the Hipparcos observations did not cover a complete sidereal period.

The final image again shows the trajectories only for minor planets (1) Ceres, (2) Pallas and (4) Vesta.