Questions tagged [celestial-mechanics]
Questions regarding the motions of celestial objects.
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calculating MPC orbital uncertainty parameter U
I'm trying to understand how the orbital uncertainty parameter 'U' introduced by the Minor Planet Center (MPC) is actually calculated for minor bodies. This wikipedia page gives the formulae to be ...
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Celestial Coordinates and Sun's degrees below horizon
I am struggling to understand the how the coordinates work.
Example: At vernal equinox RA=0 DEC=0, Does this mean the Sun is at its highest point at the equator?
If my mean solar time is 2h 30min, ...
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orbital periods from mean longitudes
Is it a common practice in Astronomy to obtain orbital periods from mean longitudes? Do they use different techniques for different types of bodies?
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constant semi-major axes of the planets
in Numerical Expressions for Precession Formulae And Mean Elements for the Moon And the Planets (Simon et al., 1994), the orbital elements of the planets are given for long time durations.
The semi-...
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different corresponding coefficients in formulae for a mean element
why do they take λ₁ = 1 295 977 422.834 29ʺ from subsection 5.8.3.¹ (mean elements referred to the mean dynamical ecliptic and equinox J2000), and not λ₁ = 1 296 027 711.034 29ʺ from subsection 5.9.3.¹...
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How to calculate the local time of sunrise and azimuth of rising point of Sirius?
I know that right ascension equals to $6^h45^m$ and declination equals to $-16°43'$. I need to calculate local time of sunrise and azimuth of rising point of Sirius on 23 of September for an ...
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Orbital terminology for satellites relative to one another
Basic question, but I'm trying to describe a planetary system and coming up short on vocabulary. Do either of the following exist?:
A word for the closest pass between two satellites orbiting the
...
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How can Io be tidally heated while it is in tidal lock?
According to its Wikipedia page:
Rotation period: synchronous
Eccentricity: 0.0041
But also
...extreme geologic activity is the result of tidal heating...
How is it possible? It should not be ...
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How to calculate the altitude of a star given the hour angle, declination, and latitude?
I'm trying to find the altitude of a star for observing, but all I have is the hour angle and declination of the star, along with latitude of the location I'm observing from. How can I find the ...
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What's the meaning of virial in Astronomy, and in particular the expression "a virialized cluster of galaxies"?
The virial theorem relates the kinetic energy of a system to the total potential energy of the system:
$
\Delta K = -\frac{1}{2}\Delta V
$
so it has lots of uses in mechanics, thermodynamics and ...
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Schmidt corrector plate on a Newtonian = Schmidt Cassegrain?
Went on with a wide range of telescopes and its mechanics. To my understanding, the only change in the optical function in Schmidt Cassegrain telescope is a Schmidt's corrector plate in front of an ...
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Why is Earth at centre of Celestial Sphere?
Why do we consider Earth to be at the centre for Celestial Sphere ? If so, then how will Sun revolve around Earth ? Doesn't it mean its like the geocentric model ?
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Querying MPC data : P and Q vectors of any use to compute the eccentricity vector?
While querying the Minor Planet Center orbital data for asteroids, among the returned data, I noticed 6 variables corresponding to x,y and z components of two 3-D vectors namely P and Q. The ...
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Can you compute the solar day?
For a given planet, if you know the sidereal rotation period and the sidereal revolution period, can you compute the length of one solar day?
For instance, for Earth, if you know one rotation is ...
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Mars is getting closer to Earth through its elliptical orbit becoming more eccentric. Do Earth and Mars keep getting closer? [closed]
A NASA Mars article says:
Mars' orbit is more elliptical than Earth's, so the difference between perihelion and aphelion is greater. Over the past centuries, Mars' orbit has been getting more and ...
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Virial theorem for a binary system
I am trying to derive the virial theorem but for two stars orbiting each other. I know the derivation for the general virial theorem with i particles but I am wondering if there is a quicker or more ...
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Degrees of freedom in restricted circular coplanar three body problem
How many degrees of freedom does a mechanical system consisting of three bodies, the Sun, Jupiter and an asteroid, have in the restricted circular coplanar problem of the three bodies?
I know that if ...
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Can we learn anything from the chaotic movement of Hydra and Nix?
The NASA Visualization Explorer Moons In Chaos says Hydra and Nix, two of the moons of Pluto, show chaotic movement due to the shifting gravitational field.
How long a day lasts and where the sun ...
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Orbital resonance 2:1
I considered the motion of an asteroid around the sun, in a $2:1$ orbital resonance with Jupiter. Following the study of this resonance, it was observed that the angle between the major axis of the ...
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Orbital resonance - basic aspects
In the following lines, I will ask you some questions regarding the notion of orbital resonance. I know that the orbital resonance of two celestial body represents the driving of a dynamical system by ...
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Orbital resonances - expansion of disturbing function
I want to study the orbital resonance type 3:1 between an asteroid and Jupiter. For this purpose, I found the expansion of the disturbing function, $R$, in Celletti A., Stability and Chaos in ...
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Orbital parameters of the Sun [duplicate]
What are the orbital parameters of the Sun such as orbit velocity etc in it's orbit around the Solar System's center of mass? Consider the Sun pointlike or alternatively when talkin about the Sun's ...
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Accretion disk formation
Why a mass transfer in a binary star system, from the less dense star to the denser star forms an accretion disk? Why the material does not fall directly to the denserstar?
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Trajectory: What would happen if the sun disappeared one day?
So, let's just assume, to no aspect explainable to humans, the sun just magically popped out of existence on January 1st next year (2022), that'll never happen, this is just a scenario to explain my ...
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Spotting the booster rocket of the Chinese space station?
SpaceWeather.com's newsletter states
Sky watchers are reporting two new objects in the night sky: China's new space station and an out-of-control booster rocket that helped launch it. The tumbling ...
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Coordinates in the Night Sky
I've learned about Orbits recently, and there are 6 orbital elements. Now, I've heard of three coordinate systems whereas, they can help you measure positions of stars in the night sky. The Altazimuth,...
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What is the longitude of the winter solstice for the various planets?
I am looking for data showing the longitude at which the various planets in the solar system reach their winter solstice. Where could I find this data?
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Keplerian Elements
So, I've been doing endless research, and I've found a bit of information, all in different places, that is. Now, I'm getting really confused about it; I can't keep up with it all anymore, so, now, it'...
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Accuracy of calculating the vernal equinox?
Calculating the exact time of the vernal equinox is essential for many ephemeris calculations. NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies uses (at least for some purposes) the following, rather short ...
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Open source code for the maths behind a heliostat?
Theoretically, using a Raspberry Pi, (at least) one mirror, and two motors, one should be able to build a heliostat, i.e. a device which redirects sunlight to a fixed spot, like a scrub in the shadow ...
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Why temperature of dark side of moon is not 3 Kelvin
The temperature of the space between Earth and the Moon is around 3 Kelvin ($\approx -270^\circ {\rm C}$). The moon has no atmosphere, therefore the heat convection is not possible from the bright ...
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Why won't the Sun set for days at N66.2 which is below the arctic circle?
Correct me if I am wrong, but if we count sunsets by the center of the Sun apparently crossing the horizon then the Sun is supposed to set every day at latitudes under the arctic circle. (Yes if you ...
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What pulls the Sun above the galactic plane and pulls it below the galactic plane?
Since the sun climbs above the galactic plane and it even dives below the galactic plane we can't deny that it wouldn't climb upward unless there is something above the galactic plane that pulls it ...
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Apsides Calculation
I’m trying to calculate the precise moment of Earth’s apsides (perihelion and aphelion). The only formulas I find are in Astronomical Algorithms by Jean Meeus (1998). However, they give erroneous ...
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Why are solar systems stable and not chaotic?
I am not trained in applied mathematics and am asking as a layperson.
It seems that the motions of the planets can be reliably predicted for thousands of years. Yet, if we consider a relatively simple ...
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Do moons experience periods of no sunlight when orbiting "behind" their planet?
I'm writing a story that takes place on the Saturn moon Iapetusand I was thinking that especially since Iapetus only has an inclination of about 17 degrees from the ecliptic, wouldn't there be a point ...
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North Stars of each Solar system planet?
What are the North Stars of each individual body points too?
E.g.
Earth points to Polaris.
Mars points to Deneb/Alpha Cygni.
What about Sun, Mercury, Venus, Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, ...
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How to track orbit of an exoplanet?
I was wondering if there is an established method to keep track of the orbit of an exoplanet assuming we know a - the semi-major axis of the orbit, e - the eccentricity of the orbit, and i - the ...
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Launch windows for Venus transit; how to convert heliocentric longitudes to date?
Being a bit familiar with celestial mechanics, I know that the Hohmann transfer orbit is the quickest way to transfer between two circular orbits of different radii around a central body in the same ...
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Problem with Tychonian model of geocentric universe?
Just like other proposed models of universe in history, Since Tycho's aren't being used, there MUST be any flaws in compare with widely agreed today understanding
Is there any detailed reference ...
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Researching mechanics without “fixed stars”
In the history of humanity, easily observable extra-(Solar System) objects greatly helped understanding certain phenomena inside the Solar System. Importantly, the “precession of the equinox”, and ...
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Has any moon achieved "retrograde equatorial orbit"?
There are many moons which have low (almost negligible) inclination and can be considered to rotate at the planet's equatorial plane. For instance, Galilean moons have almost negligible inclination (&...
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Constants of three body problem(2 fixed centers)
I was solving two fixed centers problem and got answer in quadratures. After that i want to find constants of motion. First one is full energy - E. Second is $p_{\varphi}$. And third one comes from ...
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How to derive Kepler's 1st Law?
I was going through the derivation of Kepler's 1st Law in the textbook "An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics" by Carroll and Ostlie. From there, I got stuck in a few places in their ...
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Variation in g acceleration due to gravity
I want to find a routine which will enable me to calculate the variations in g
as a result of the motion of sun and moon. I need to have the date as a variable.
I realise that Dennis Milbert's earth ...
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Discrepancy between my results of Great Conjunction 2020 and Wikipedia
Using python-skyfield to calculate the upcoming conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. I'm off a few minutes with the times on Wikipedia.
Wikipedia Great conjunction times (1800 to 2100)
Using Right ...
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Does the Honey moon have a precession problem?
In Steven Colbert's interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson after about 03:16 the following is explained:
But wait, all the moons - all the full moons of the year have ...
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Will the United States Presidential Election (day asteroid) be back soon?
My google news feed is awash with mono-themed articles, including a near Earth asteroid that passed by around election day 2020 in the US.
We can all hope that neither will lead to an extinction level ...
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Is there an antonym for 'transit', i.e. the transit of a celestial body through the meridian
I'm writing software to calculate the rising, transit, and setting of a body on the celestial sphere for a specific location and date. It seems to me that the opposite of transit, at least in the case ...
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The possibility of rapidly changing the Earths orbit via a passing astronomical object
I assume that the Earth could be “gently” (without colossal tidal or volcanic catastrophe) displaced by a passing extra solar star, brown dwarf or planet and end up perhaps 10% further away from the ...
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