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Re: (meteorobs) phantom-orbits
In a message dated 2/20/00 6:38:12 PM Eastern Standard Time,
dhostetter@eateldot net writes:
<< I wonder if this could be a reference to placing spacecraft (or even
colonies) at the LaGrange points of the Earth-moon system. There's been
talk of that from time to time, although I do not recall hearing of any
spacecraft actually planned for that type of thing. It's my understanding
that a spacecraft very near a LaGrange point would move in a non-circular
orbit around the actual LaGrange point itself, which would have no mass. >>
A Lagrange point is not to be orbited around, a typical Lagrange point is a
point in a larger body's orbit where a smaller body is held fixed.
I haven't heard anything about the Earth/Moon Lagrange points but - The
"original" Lagrange point reference is to the swarm of Trojan asteroids that
are held in Jupiter's orbit 60º in front of and behind Jupiter. Jupiter holds
them in place and they are all in orbit around the Sun which has mass.
KevinK
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