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Just to clarify the difference between "true" resonance and a coincidence: True resonance reinforces itself. For example, Pluto speeds up and slows down in its
by t8sr 3y ago
Just to clarify the difference between "true" resonance and a coincidence:
True resonance reinforces itself. For example, Pluto speeds up and slows down in its orbit as it passes Neptune and the exchange of energy between the two works out such that the lowest energy state is a 2:3 resonance, so that's where they would end up even if you "poked" the system a little.
A coincidence is not self-reinforcing. If you "poked" the system, it would disrupt the ratio and it'd stay disrupted.
Sometimes, the preconditions for resonance might disappear, and then you end up with a coincidence at a nearly perfect ratio that slowly drifts afterwards. The opposite also happens.
- jgalt212 3y ago> A coincidence is not self-reinforcing. If you "poked" the system, it would disrupt the ratio and it'd stay disrupted. What would happen if you poked at object at one of the Lagrange points? e.g. the James Webb Space Telescope.
- fhdkweig 3y agoOf the 5 Lagrange points, 2 are stable. If you poke an object at one of the 2 stable points, the object begins to orbit in a circle around that invisible point.
- sp332 3y agoMost Lagrange points are unstable. Only L4 and L5 are stable. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange_point#/media/File%3ALagrange_points2.svg https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange_point#/media/File%3...
- sandworm101 3y agoBut it is also possible, perhaps likely, that some coincidences are in fact higher-level resonances between groups of planets. These would be multi-body problems that may take thousand or millions of years to react to perturbations. The calculations for these may well be beyond our current capabilities to detect (3+ body problems).
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]