B Is the barycentre of the Pluto - Charon system also the L1 point?

  • B
  • Thread starter Thread starter Cerenkov
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Lagrange points
AI Thread Summary
The barycentre of the Pluto-Charon system does not coincide with the L1 point, as clarified by a participant referencing the Earth-Moon system. Pluto and its moons, including Charon, can be considered a three-body system, but the influence of its smaller moons (Nix, Hydra, Kerberos, and Styx) on orbital dynamics is minimal. Quasi-stable orbits around L1 points are theoretically possible, but practical implementation for a space probe would require significant station-keeping efforts. The discussion also touches on the definitions of barycentre and L1 points, emphasizing their proximity to the respective masses involved. Overall, the thread highlights the complexities of orbital mechanics in the context of Pluto's moons.
Cerenkov
Messages
315
Reaction score
88
Hello.

I've been reading about the Lagrange points... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange_point ...and also about Pluto and its moons. Having discovered that the barycentre of the Pluto - Charon system lies at a point in space between the dwarf planet and its major moon Charon a number of questions have come to mind and I list them here to find out the answers and hopefully more.

1. Does the location of the aforementioned barycentre coincide with the location of the L1 point between Pluto and Charon?

2. According to the Wiki page... Although the L1, L2, and L3 points are nominally unstable, there are quasi-stable periodic orbits called halo orbits around these points in a three-body system. But, does Pluto and its moons qualify as a three-body system?

3. Is it possible for a natural body to remain in the kind of quasi-stable orbit mentioned above?

4. Is it possible for a carefully-placed space probe to remain in a quasi-stable orbit employing the kind of station-keeping used by the JWST?

5. At first glance the masses of Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx would seem to be insufficient to play any significant role in the orbital dynamics of Pluto and Charon. But is that so or am I mistaken in my assumption?

Thank you for any help given.


Cerenkov.
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
The L1 point is not the barycenter. Consider the earth-moon system.

Cerenkov said:
But, does Pluto and its moons qualify as a three-body system?
How many moons does Pluto have? Is it different from two?
Cerenkov said:
station-keeping
With enough rocket fuel. sure.
Cerenkov said:
any significant role
How significant is significant?
 
Cerenkov said:
1. Does the location of the aforementioned barycentre coincide with the location of the L1 point between Pluto and Charon?
What is the definition of the barycentre? Given this definition, is it nearer to the heavier mass or the lighter one?
What is the definition of the L1 point? Given this definition, is it nearer to the heavier mass or the lighter one?

Do you think that anything has changed since you last posted this question here?
 
  • Like
Likes Vanadium 50 and berkeman
This is a duplicate of a previously posted question, already answered. Thread closed.
 
  • Like
Likes Vanadium 50

Thread 'Does it make sense to build new radio telescopes?'

TL;DR Summary: In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect alien signals, it will further expand the radius of the so-called silence (or rather, radio silence) of the Universe. Is there any sense in this or is blissful ignorance better? In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect...
View full post »
Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

This is indirectly evidenced by a map of the distribution of gamma-ray bursts in the night sky, made in the form of an elongated globe. And also the weakening of gamma radiation by the disk and the center of the Milky Way, which leads to anisotropy in the possibilities of observing gamma-ray bursts. My line of reasoning is as follows: 1. Gamma radiation should be absorbed to some extent by dust and other components of the interstellar medium. As a result, with an extragalactic origin, fewer...
View full post »

Similar threads

B Questions about Lagrange points in the Pluto / Charon system
Replies
2
Views
2K
I How Big of an Object Orbiting Closer to the Sun Than Earth Could Be Overlooked?
Replies
17
Views
3K
Simulation of New Horizons arrival day at Pluto
Replies
6
Views
3K
I Is it possible to build a Telescope the Size of Half the Solar System size using all Lagrange Points?
Replies
6
Views
2K
B Outer Solar System Origins Survey, Dwarf Planets and TNOs
Replies
2
Views
2K
Is my fictional Solar System stable and realistic?
Replies
21
Views
4K
Lagrange Points, Maximum mass and their effects
Replies
8
Views
7K
Unraveling the Mystery of Pluto: 75 Years Since Its Discovery and Counting
Replies
5
Views
3K
B Understanding the Lagrange Points: What's Going Wrong with L2 and L3?
Replies
5
Views
1K
Lagrange Points Calculation Work
Replies
2
Views
1K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top