# Is there a verification of the solar system barycenter as it is theoretically determined?

The barycenter of our solar system is not the sun, but a changeable location outside of the center point of the sun. A often used diagram of that relation is shown below, originated from the Wikipedia article.

Does exist one or more practical quite observations that confirm the accordance of the real changing of position of the barycenter of the solar system in relation to the center point of the sun with the theoretical results?

• It's an interesting question! I don't believe that the relative position between the Sun's center of mass and the solar system's barycenter can be measured in any other way than taking all of the observational data of the motion of all of the solar system objects that we know about and calculating their center of mass. In other words, there isn't anything else to compare with. But maybe I'm not understanding your question correctly.
– uhoh
Jan 11, 2020 at 10:27
• Indeed an interesting question. If there are mesurements It means that we can reverse the question and find for missing planets on our calculation. Jan 11, 2020 at 14:20
• As @uhoh notes, the barycenter is a theoretical point, not necessarily an observable one. It's the center of the reference frame NASA uses to calculate planet positions, so, if we're too far off on where the barycenter is, our planetary calculations would be inaccurate.
– user21
Jan 11, 2020 at 17:45

• +1 To get a feel for the level of matching between measured data and the model based on those measurements, looking at plots of residuals for various bodies in (for example) DE430 or 431 in ipnpr.jpl.nasa.gov/progress_report/42-196/196C.pdf show values that range from single digit kilometers down to centimeters for the Moon.