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Re: Asteroids feel the Force



>Does anyone have a clue as to how the shepherding moon can "repel" ring
>material? Better yet a link to a site?  I read NASA's definition and I
>believe it to be in error.

The shepherd moon has the appearance of repelling the ring material.
The moon contrains the material, not allowing it to spread.  It is all
done with gravity (attraction).  It seems counterintuitive  but it
is a 3 body problem.  The planet's gravity is involved in addition
to the shepherd moon and the ring.  Here'a a photo of Saturn's F ring
with two shepherd moons on either side of it:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/saturn/faq.html#shepherd

Ron Baalke

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