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The standard gravitational parameter μ of a celestial body is the product of the gravitational constant G and the mass M of that body. For two bodies, the parameter may be expressed as G ( m 1 + m 2 ) , or as GM when one body is much larger than the other: μ = G ( M + m ) ≈ G M . {\displaystyle \mu =G(M+m)\approx GM.}
The value of G times the mass of an object, called the standard gravitational parameter, is known for the Sun and several planets to a much higher accuracy than G alone. [13] As a result, the solar mass is used as the standard mass in the astronomical system of units.
The quantity GM —the product of the gravitational constant and the mass of a given astronomical body such as the Sun or Earth—is known as the standard gravitational parameter (also denoted μ). The standard gravitational parameter GM appears as above in Newton's law of universal gravitation, as well as in formulas for the deflection of ...
μ = G(M + m), a gravitational parameter, [note 2] where G is Newton's gravitational constant, M is the mass of the primary body (i.e., the Sun), m is the mass of the secondary body (i.e., a planet), and; p is the semi-parameter (the semi-latus rectum) of the body's orbit. Note that every variable in the above equations is a constant for two ...
Every object in a 2-body ballistic trajectory has a constant specific orbital energy equal to the sum of its specific kinetic and specific potential energy: = = =, where = is the standard gravitational parameter of the massive body with mass , and is the radial distance from its center. As an object in an escape trajectory moves outward, its ...
The International Space Station has an orbital period of 91.74 ... = 132,712,440,018 km 3 ⋅s −2 is the standard gravitational parameter of the Sun; r = 17 billion ...
The quantity is often termed the standard gravitational parameter, which has a different value for every planet or moon in the Solar System. Once the circular orbital velocity is known, the escape velocity is easily found by multiplying by 2 {\displaystyle {\sqrt {2}}} :
The choice of solar mass, M ☉, as the basic unit for planetary mass comes directly from the calculations used to determine planetary mass.In the most precise case, that of the Earth itself, the mass is known in terms of solar masses to twelve significant figures: the same mass, in terms of kilograms or other Earth-based units, is only known to five significant figures, which is less than a ...