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Re: Lagrangian Points

To: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com
Subject: Re: Lagrangian Points
From: Jim Hurley <hurleyj@arachnaut.org>
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 08:27:01 -0700
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See 'An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics', B Carroll & D Ostlie. 1996.

The L points are local maximum of gravitational potential between two
rotating bodies. At these points, the gravitational forces between a 
mass and the two bodies are balanced by the centrifugal force.

Since it is a local maximum of a curve, they are points of unstable
equilibrium, and a small force will push the mass from these locations.

To be captured into an L-point, the mass would have to be moving fairly slowly
with respect to the two bodies.

In the solar system, the gravitational forces of the planets must perturb the
Jupiter L-points a little - presumably, not enough to make them unstable.

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Re: Lagrangian Points

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Re: Lagrangian Points

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Re: Lagrangian Points

From: "Piper R.W. Hollier" <piper@xs4all.nl>

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