Lagrangian points (also Lagrange points, L-points, or libration points) are the five positions (L1 - L5) surrounding two celestial bodies where gravitational pull of the two large mass bodies provides the centripetal force required to orbit them. Such points are usually nominally unstable but somewhat periodic around celestial systems with stable orbits.
Questions tagged [lagrangian-points]
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How Many Martian Lagrange points are there? ...And are they useful for satellites?
I know that the Sun-Earth system has 5 Lagrange points, and there are five more Earth-Moon associated Lagrange points; so ten in all that are in some way associated with the Earth.
Since Mars has two natural satellites compared to Earth's one, would…
Rickest Rick
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How much mass can be put in an L4 or L5 and it still maintain reasonable stability?
Every explanation of Lagrange points I've seen refers to it as a sort of three-body solution, where one of the body's masses is taken to be comparatively negligible to make the solution work.
However, I haven't been able to find a description of at…
Connie
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How do the Moon and other planets affect Earth-Sun Lagrange points' locations?
We can calculate Earth-Sun Lagrange points based on Sun & earth mass/gravity. However moon and other planets must be affecting the location of these points. How this effect is analyzed and exact Lagrange points location is calculated considering…
jrp
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Can a whole planetary system have Lagrangian points?
Wikipedia says:
The Lagrange points mark positions where the combined gravitational pull of the two large masses provides precisely the centripetal force required to orbit with them
The major bulk of the Solar System is concentrated in Sol with…
Everyone
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Is the L2 Mars-Sun point protected from solar radiation?
To what extent is the L2 point protected in comparison to the surface, if at all? Since the L2 point might be in the umbra of Mars, it could be shielded against the sun. It would also be helpful if someone could provide the calculation.
Talr
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Any satellites in Earth-Sun L3 point?
Do we (the humanity) have any satellites in the Sun-Earth $L_3$ point? If not, then what are the plans to put some ships into this point?
Dims
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Do we have the capability to place a satellite in the Sun-Earth L4/L5 Lagrange points?
I was looking at the Wikipedia page on Lagrangian points, and I noticed that in the list of current and proposed missions, the only mention of the $L_4$ and $L_5$ points is a "this would be a good idea" proposal from the '70s.
Presuming that…
Bobson
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Is it obvious or easily-proven that L4 and L5 must be in the parental orbital plane?
Looking at the question and answer and diagrams from Are Lagrangian points associated only with the smaller body? got me wondering.
L4 and L5 each form an equilateral triangle with the two main bodies, with L4 ahead in the orbit and L5 behind…
Roger
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Is lagrange point L1 stable?
Is Lagrange point L1 stable? If I were to place a space station in L1 will it remain in orbit without any difficulty? If there are any difficulties, please mention them here along with any suggestions to overcome the difficulties, if possible.
Ashwin Ramachandran
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L2 point in multi-moon system
For an SF novel, if there were two large moons orbiting a planet, let's say one moon the size of Earth's moon and the 2nd moon about 20% larger, and the planet roughly the size of the Earth, would the L2 point at the larger moon still exist and be…
Phil
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Gravity cancellation point
Here is a question from ANTHE: an exam in India. The question is:Two point masses M and 3M are placed at a L distance apart. Another point mass m is between on the line joining them so that the net gravitational force acting on it due to masses M…
Tanmay
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