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Definition: celestial mechanics from The Penguin Dictionary of Science

The study of the motion of stars and other celestial bodies.


celestial mechanics

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
the study of the motions of astronomical bodies as they move under the influence of their mutual gravitation . Celestial mechanics analyzes the orbital motions of planets, dwarf planets, comets, asteroids, and natural and artificial satellites within the solar system as well as the motions of stars and galaxies. Newton's laws of motion and his theory of universal gravitation are the basis for celestial mechanics; for some objects, general relativity is also important. Calculating the motions of astronomical bodies is a complicated procedure because many separate forces are acting at once, and all the bodies are simultaneously in motion. The only problem that can be solved exactly is that of two bodies moving under the influence of their mutual gravitational attraction (see ephemeris ). Since the sun is the dominant influence in the solar system, an application of the two-body problem leads to the simple elliptical orbits as described by Kepler's laws ; these laws give a close…
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Full text Article celestial mechanics

From Astronomy Encyclopedia
Discipline concerned with using the laws of physics to explain and predict the orbits of the planets, satellites and other celestial bodies. For many years the main effort in the subject was the development of mathematical methods to generate the lengthy series of perturbation terms that are needed…
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Full text Article celestial mechanics

From Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
Basic characteristics of orbits in which a...
Branch of astronomy that deals with the mathematical theory of the motions of celestial bodies. Johannes Kepler ’s laws of planetary motion (1609–19) and Newton’s laws of motion (1687) are fundamental to it. In the 18th century, powerful methods of mathematical analysis were generally successful in…
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Full text Article celestial mechanics

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
the study of the motions of astronomical bodies as they move under the influence of their mutual gravitation . Celestial mechanics analyzes the orbital motions of planets, dwarf planets, comets, asteroids, and natural and artificial satellites within the solar system as well as the motions of stars…
| 252 words
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Full text Article celestial mechanics

From Collins Dictionary of Astronomy
The study of the motions and equilibria of celestial bodies subjected to mutual gravitational forces, usually by the application of Newton's law of gravitation and the general laws of mechanics, based on Newton's laws of motion . Satellite and planetary motions, tides, precession of the Earth's…
| 115 words
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Full text Article Celestial Mechanics

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
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Full text Article celestial mechanics

From Philip's Encyclopedia
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Full text Article celestial mechanics

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
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Full text Article CELESTIAL MECHANICS

From Gaither's Dictionary of Scientific Quotations
| 64 words
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Full text Article celestial mechanics

From The American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language
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Full text Article celestial mechanics

From Collins English Dictionary
| 18 words
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