Orbit Definition and 1000 Threads

I've always been interested by the pattern within venus' orbit around the sun. I found this image and the formula of its retrograde motion in the upper right hand corner which confused me. What does it mean? can someone break this down in layman's terms...

Given an object spinning on its own axis, in orbit around a planet with mass and that the object is traveling in the direction of its axis, does the axis continue to point at the same point in infinity as it rotates around the planet or does the axis follow the curvature of space around the...

Q1 Why does a satellite(or any space capsule etc) moving in a stable circular orbit around Earth behaves like a freely falling body?? Q2 Why do the astronauts in these capsules are said to be in weightless condition?? i m not much convinced with the solutions to my doubts so i would appreciate...

PROBLEM: Show that Special Relativity predicts a precession of π(GMm/cl)2 radians per orbit for any elliptic orbit under a pure inverse-square force. where G is gravitational constant, M is mass of larger body, m is mass of smaller orbiting body, c is speed of light and l is angular momentum...

How do you calculate how much delta v is lost from gravity and atmospheric drag? I've been looking for days but I can't find anything that actually tells me how it's calculated. For example it takes 1.5 km/s - 2 km/s extra delta v for a low Earth orbit because of drag loss, how was that number...

Greetings all ! I have this problem with SGP4 propagation, that I hope someone can help me out with. I acquired a TLE of the ISS from internet and used the C++ SGP4 propagator to compute future position and velocity vectors of the Station. I am unsure about some aspects of results though and...

I have been told that the discovery of the Geostationary orbit of satellites was attributed to Arthur C Clarke the well known writer of Science Fiction stories. Is it possible that he also made a serious study of this subject and were there any formulas involved which he might have published...

Homework Statement What is the acceleration due to gravity at an altitude of 1.00 x 10^6 above the Earth's surface, given that the radius of the Earth is 6.38 x 10^6 m?Homework Equations Using g = GMm/r^2 Fc = mv^2/r The Attempt at a Solution Fc = mv^2/r How can I solve this equation if I am...

Homework Statement A proton moves perpendicular to a magnetic field of .005 T. What is the period of the proton's circular orbit? Homework Equations 1. T=2pi/v 2. FB=qv x BThe Attempt at a Solution I know I need to solve for velocity first so I can use the period equation, but I don't...

A satellite in orbit around the Earth has a period of one hour. An identical satellite is placed in an orbit having a radius that is nine times larger than that of the first satellite. What is the period of the second satellite? (a) 27 h (c) 4 h (e) 0.04 h (b) 3 h (d) 9 h** I...

Homework Statement A i kg mass is in a satellite must move to a higher orbit. energy must be added. Can this energy be added at one time, by shooting the mass? Homework Equations Potential energy: ##E_p=\frac{GMm}{r}## Gravitational force: ##F=\frac{GMm}{r^2}## The Attempt at a Solution The...

Homework Statement A satellite is put into a stationary orbit around earth, i.e. it stays above one point, then it passes through a cloud and looses 10% of it's kinetic energy. it is stabilized again in a new orbit, what's the new radius. Homework Equations Attraction force...

Am I right when I say that you can orbit the photon sphere and still be not pulled towards the Event Horizon but you need to orbit (In your spaceship) at the speed of light?

Hi everyone. So I got this question in a test, but I'm not exactly sure about the answer. Q: For a planet moving in an elliptical orbit, why is 1/2Iω^2 not the correct expression for its kinetic energy? Thanks a lot in advance.

the problem says: "consider a particle with orbit ##r(\phi)=\frac{r_0}{1-\epsilon \cos (\beta \phi)}## ##\epsilon \in ]0,1[## and ##\beta=cte## a) Find the precession angle. b) What is the condition to the trayectory is totally cyclic?? __________________ I don't understand why i calculare...

Hello smart people! I am trying to make a simulation of an orbit with C#. I have come so far that I more or less only need a way to convert the apoapsis, periapsis and ascending node to 3D space vector3's. If it is possible, I want to avoid longitude and latitude? Anyone have any suggestions...

I watched a lot of videos and read a lot of articles regarding the orbit of the Earth around the sun and I just did not get it ..if they're both attracted to each other by a force then why don't the Earth just hit the sun like two magnets attracted to each other ..what causes that "Orthogonal"...

1. Homework Statement Two identical moons of mass m maintain opposite positions in the same circular orbit of radius R around a planet of mass M. Find T2 the square of the orbital period. 2. Homework Equations T2=(4*pi2*R3)/ ( G*M ) [b]3. The Attempt at a Solution Hi...

So I'm coding up some initial orbit determination stuff in MATLAB (for personal education; I love this stuff), and I am using 'Methods of Orbit Determination' by Escobal as a guide. I already got Vallado's code to work, now I'm just comparing other methods. I'm having an issue with one of his...

In uniform circular motion, (eg, a mass on the end of a string moving in a horizontal circle) centripetal force is the only thing causing acceleration. we have the kinematic relationship V=RW or velocity is proportional to radius. I.e a bigger radius means greater linear speed? For the...

Hi all This question came up to me when I was playing a game called KSP (a space sim game): Given an initial velocity and starting altitude, how do you create a 2D Cartesian equation of the orbit of that projectile around earth? For example if I told you a projectile is traveling at a...

Is it possible to calculate the entire orbit of an interstellar piece of rock that has entered our solar system from observing the parameters and trajectory of that rock exhibits while inside our solar system?

Homework Statement Assume that a planet can have an atmosphere if the escape speed of the planet is 6 times larger than the thermal speed of the molecules in the atmosphere (also known as the root-mean-square molecular velocity). Suppose a hypothetical object having the same mass and radius...

I want to be able to map the position of a planet given initial position, velocity, and acceleration. I know the equation for Gravitational force (Newtonian) is: F=-GMm/r^2 Using Newtons second law this gives: m(d^2x/dt^2)=-GMm/x^2 Then simple Algebra yields: (d^2x/dt^2)+GM/x^2=0 I...

Efficient launch into orbit. Designing a small, simple, efficient and stable launch vehicle to get into Kerbin's orbit can be done pretty easily. But in order to avoid building oversized, overcomplicated, drag prone behemoths (like the one I was using in the first post of this thread), one...

Homework Statement Alright, this is probably going to be a long one. For a school project I am trying to simulate (in 2D) our moon's orbit around the earth, to eventually simulate a spaceship doing a hohmann transfer between LEO and LLO whilst being affected by both the Earth's gravity and...

Homework Statement Calculate the orbital velocity in a geostationary orbit (the circular orbit around the Earth which has a period of 24 hours) and show that its radius is approximately 40,000 km. A satellite is to be inserted into a geostationary orbit from an elliptical orbit with perigee at...

How do scientists measure the distance between the Earth and sun as it orbits? Do they use visual distance or do they account for distortions?

1. Can a magnet orbit another magnet (of opposite charge) despite the fact that their masses are insufficient to generate the orbit; i.e., their orbits are caused only by the EM force? 2. Would/could the EM attraction between them generate tidal effects on the two magnets? 3. If you had two...

Hello, Can someone please explain to me how Astronauts in Low Earth Orbit do not instantly fry up when in direct sunlight? How does the International Space station, for example, not become a torch-lit super-oven when the sun's rays hit its walls? Thank you for helping me understand, and...

hi guys, i have a very limited knowledge of physics, and have an engineering background. but i saw on a program i was watching yesterday about the solar system, one of the comments made on there was about how Newton's equation for gravity was what was used to find "neptune??" however it...

Homework Statement Show that the stability condition for a circular orbit of radius a, i.e. f(a) + \frac{a}{3} (\frac{df}{dr})_{r=a} < 0 is equivalent to the condition \frac{d^2V(r)}{dr^2} > 0 for r=a where V(r) is the effective potential given by V(r) = U(r) +...

Homework Statement Homework Equations See below The Attempt at a Solution My book derives the period of oscillation through the tunnel: T = 2pi/w = 2pi*sqrt(m/k) = 2pi*sqrt(3/(4pi*G*p)) = sqrt(3pi/(G*p)) Where p is the density of the asteroid, and G is the Newton's gravitational...

Homework Statement A comet is going in a parabolic orbit lying in the plane of the earth’s orbit. Assuming that the earth’s orbit is a circle of radius a. The points where the comets orbits intersects the earth’s orbit are given by: cos θ = −1 + 2p/a where p is the perihelion distance...

Homework Statement Given that the Earth's distance from the sun varies from 1.47 to 1.52x10^11m, determine the minimum and maximum velocities of the Earth in it's orbit around the sun. Homework Equations F=G\frac{m1m2}{r^2} E=K+U ? The Attempt at a Solution I think the...

Hi everyone, I want to discuss the following question: What would happen to the distance between two objects with masses M and m with M >> m if the central mass M was time-dependent (e.g. the moon's orbit if the mass of the Earth would increase slowly)? My theory goes like this: The...

Homework Statement If the mass of the sun were 1/2 it's current mass suddenly show the orbit of the Earth would be a parabola... The Attempt at a Solution I'm not sure what kind of approach to apply here, if the total energy equals zero then the orbit is a parabolic trajectory, if it is less...

Homework Statement Derive an equation and solve for the speed of a satellite in geosynchronous orbit. You may NOT use the value of the satellite's altitude or radius in your calculations. If you do, you will receive no credit. You should use your knowledge of forces and uniform circular...

The period of a satellite revolving around the Earth earth at surface height is equal to the period of any mass thrown through a hole of the earth(which gains a simple harmonic motion)... It seemed really interesting to me... Why both of these periods are same? T=2 π √(R/g)

Homework Statement I found this in Binney's text, pg 154 where he described the radial probability density ##P_{(r)} \propto r^2 u_L## Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution Isn't the radial probability density simply the square of the normalized wavefunction...

Homework Statement The average speed of an orbiting satellite is 20,000 mph. How much time is required for the satellite to orbit Earth? (the satellite is orbiting 250 miles above the Earth’s surface, and remember that the Earth has a radius of 3,963 miles.) Homework Equations t=d/v...

Is a helicopter which is stationary relative to the surface on a geostationary orbit? Why, or why not?

I'm trying to understand this one. Let's imagine we want to launch a satellite to the perpendicular-to-the-plane-of-the-ecliptic orbit ("passing through the North and South ecliptic poles", or perpendicular to the Sun-Earth line, through the Earth). Since the Earth's axial tilt is around 23.4º...

Homework Statement A satellites are placed in a circular orbit that is 3.22 × 105 m above the surface of the earth. What is the magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity at this distance?Homework Equations a = MG/R^2The Attempt at a Solution For the above formula I have trouble because I do...

Hi everyone, first post here. Lurking for a while but it was time to register.. I'm trying to conceptualize an idea in which humans are sent to orbit a very massive object, like a neutron star, a magnetar or even possibly a black hole. I would like the ship to be relatively close to the surface...

Keeping in mind I am a person that did not go to school...This must be a common question. Can be maddening for you guys to keep reading it over and over. Would be happy to read any links you want to post. I did a search on Gravity and Orbit, and did not see this topic. But those words garner a...

Hello, I happened to open up an old book by Sah, and in it he says: "it is evident that the electron orbit radius is half the well radius at the energy level E_n" The orbit radius is r_n=\frac{4*\pi*ε_0*\hbar^2*n^2}{mq^2} and the potential well...

Why don't electrons go into the next orbit during stimulated emission? Hey all, I was studying stimulated emission in lasers and I had a doubt regarding the same. When the electron collides with another which is in an excited state, why doesn't the electron, which gets collided, move into the...

Homework Statement It is required to put a satellite of mass m into orbit with apogee 2.5 times the radius of the planet of mass M. The satellite is to be launched from the surface with speed v0 at an angle of 30° to the local vertical. Use conservation of energy and angular momentum to...

I am reading a text about the splitting of the energy levels in crystals caused by the spin orbit interaction. In particular, the argument is treated from the point of view of the group theory. The text starts saying that a representation (TxD) for the double group can be obtained from the...