36 ms·
I thought that the definition of the Lagrange point was that it required no energy to remain in that position. Or does that happen because the Earth and the moo
by spockz 5y ago
I thought that the definition of the Lagrange point was that it required no energy to remain in that position. Or does that happen because the Earth and the moon wobble a bit and therefore the exact position of the Lagrange point shifts?
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- sp332 5y agoYeah the stable point is a literal geometric point. And there's a whole solar system's worth of little gravitational disturbances going on.
- biggerfisch 5y agoL4 and L5 are stable (see Jupiter's asteroid collection), but the others involve essentially trying to balance on a infinitesimal pinpoint, with any perturbation causing one to "fall off" and move away.
- lann 5y agoI don't know much about Lagrange points specifically, but it sounds like this one is an "unstable equilibrium". Even if you could park on exactly the right point, any tiny force (changing gravitational pull of other planets, dust impact, even light pressure from the sun eventually) would nudge you off of it and you would start accelerating away from it.
- _Microft 5y agoL1-3 are unstable, L4 and L5 are not. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange_point#Point_stability https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange_point#Point_stability