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The Hill sphere is a common model for the calculation of a gravitational sphere of influence. It is the most commonly used model to calculate the spatial extent of gravitational influence of an astronomical body ( m ) in which it dominates over the gravitational influence of other bodies, particularly a primary ( M ). [ 1 ]
A sphere of influence (SOI) in astrodynamics and astronomy is the oblate spheroid-shaped region where a particular celestial body exerts the main gravitational influence on an orbiting object. This is usually used to describe the areas in the Solar System where planets dominate the orbits of surrounding objects such as moons , despite the ...
In many diagrams of the analemma, a third dimension, that of time, is also included, shown by marks that represent the position of the Sun at various, fairly closely spaced, dates throughout the year. In diagrams, the analemma is drawn as it would be seen in the sky by an observer looking upward. If north is at the top, west is to the right ...
Again, if the mass of the smaller object (M 2) is much smaller than the mass of the larger object (M 1) then L 2 is at approximately the radius of the Hill sphere, given by: The same remarks about tidal influence and apparent size apply as for the L 1 point.
A diagram illustrating great-circle distance (drawn in red) between two points on a sphere, P and Q. Two antipodal points, u and v are also shown. The great-circle distance, orthodromic distance, or spherical distance is the distance between two points on a sphere, measured along the great-circle arc between them. This arc is the shortest path ...
The scale in the figure showing the Lagrange points is exaggerated by using a small mass ratio between the primary and secondary bodies. The actual distance to the Sun-Earth L1 and L2 Lagrange points is about 0.01 AU which would make it hard to see the hill sphere on the scale of a diagram that also shows the Sun and the L3, L4 and L5 points.
Coordinate systems in astronomy can specify an object's relative position in three-dimensional space or plot merely by its direction on a celestial sphere, if the object's distance is unknown or trivial. Spherical coordinates, projected on the celestial sphere, are analogous to the geographic coordinate system used on the surface of Earth.
In classical mechanics, the two-body problem is to calculate and predict the motion of two massive bodies that are orbiting each other in space. The problem assumes that the two bodies are point particles that interact only with one another; the only force affecting each object arises from the other one, and all other objects are ignored.