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The theorem tells us how different parts of the mass distribution affect the gravitational force measured at a point located a distance r 0 from the center of the mass distribution: [13] The portion of the mass that is located at radii r < r 0 causes the same force at the radius r 0 as if all of the mass enclosed within a sphere of radius r 0 ...
Since 2012, the AU is defined as 1.495 978 707 × 10 11 m exactly, and the equation can no longer be taken as holding precisely. The quantity GM —the product of the gravitational constant and the mass of a given astronomical body such as the Sun or Earth—is known as the standard gravitational parameter (also denoted μ).
The combination of the radius and the mass of a star determines the surface gravity. Giant stars have a much lower surface gravity than main sequence stars, while the opposite is the case for degenerate, compact stars such as white dwarfs. The surface gravity can influence the appearance of a star's spectrum, with higher gravity causing a ...
This solution pertains when the mass M of one body is overwhelmingly greater than the mass m of the other. If so, the larger mass may be taken as stationary and the sole contributor to the gravitational field. This is a good approximation for a photon passing a star and for a planet orbiting its sun.
A common misconception occurs between centre of mass and centre of gravity.They are defined in similar ways but are not exactly the same quantity. Centre of mass is the mathematical description of placing all the mass in the region considered to one position, centre of gravity is a real physical quantity, the point of a body where the gravitational force acts.
The standard gravitational parameter μ of a celestial body is the product of the gravitational constant G and the mass M of that body. For two bodies, the parameter may be expressed as G ( m 1 + m 2 ) , or as GM when one body is much larger than the other: μ = G ( M + m ) ≈ G M . {\displaystyle \mu =G(M+m)\approx GM.}
The mass/luminosity relationship can also be used to determine the lifetime of stars by noting that lifetime is approximately proportional to M/L although one finds that more massive stars have shorter lifetimes than that which the M/L relationship predicts. A more sophisticated calculation factors in a star's loss of mass over time.
r is the distance of the planet from the star; G is the gravitational constant; M star is the mass of the star; P star is the observed period of the star; Having determined , the velocity of the planet around the star can be calculated using Newton's law of gravitation, and the orbit equation: