Abstract
In a simplified model of the Earth-Moon-Sun system based on the restricted circular 3-dimensional 3-body problem, it is possible to find numerically a set of 8 periodic orbits whose time evolutions closely resemble that of the Moon's orbit. These orbits have a period of 223 synodic months (i.e. the period of the Saros cycle known for more than two millennia as a means of predicting eclipses), and are characterized by a secular rotation of the argument of perigee ω. Periodic orbits of longer durations exhibiting this last feature are very abundant in Earth-Moon-Sun dynamical models. Their arrangement in the space of the mean orbital elements ē-ī for various values of the lunar mean motion is presented.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 373-380 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy |
Volume | 56 |
Issue number | 1-2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Mar 1993 |
Keywords
- motion of the Moon
- periodic orbits
- Saros cycle
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Modelling and Simulation
- Mathematical Physics
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science
- Computational Mathematics
- Applied Mathematics