revolv said:Hey everyone. I am working on a planetary simulation model and am having a bit of trouble with the math. Given the volume and density of a particular planetary body, how do I calculate the mass? Once I have the mass, how do I calculate the orbital distance of a satellite body to said panetary body? I'm sure this is somewhat elementary astrophysics but, in the immortal edited words of Dr. McCoy, I'm a programmer, not a physicist! Thanks in advance for any help.
The force of gravity provides the centripetal acceleration, so:revolv said:Thanks for the info. It is very much appreciated. One other question if I may. If i know the distance, what is the equation for determining the orbital speed? Or, from a education standpoint, where can i find said equation?
The mass of stellar bodies refers to the amount of matter contained within a celestial object, such as a star or planet. It is typically measured in units of solar masses, which is equivalent to the mass of our Sun.
The mass of stellar bodies is measured using various techniques, including radial velocity measurements, astrometry, and gravitational lensing. These methods involve observing the effects of a star's mass on its surrounding environment to determine its mass.
The average mass of a star is about 1 solar mass, or 2 x 10^30 kilograms. However, there is a wide range of stellar masses, with some stars being much larger or smaller than average.
The mass of a star directly impacts its lifespan. Higher mass stars have a shorter lifespan, as they burn through their fuel at a faster rate. Lower mass stars, on the other hand, have a longer lifespan as they consume their fuel more slowly.
Yes, the mass of stellar bodies can change over time through various processes such as mass loss due to stellar winds, accretion of material from a companion star, or merging with other stars. However, these changes are usually small and do not significantly affect the overall mass of the star.