Is the barycentre of the Pluto - Charon system also the L1 point?

  • #1
Cerenkov
277
54
Hello.

I've been reading about the Lagrange points... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange_point ...and also about Pluto and its moons. Having discovered that the barycentre of the Pluto - Charon system lies at a point in space between the dwarf planet and its major moon Charon a number of questions have come to mind and I list them here to find out the answers and hopefully more.

1. Does the location of the aforementioned barycentre coincide with the location of the L1 point between Pluto and Charon?

2. According to the Wiki page... Although the L1, L2, and L3 points are nominally unstable, there are quasi-stable periodic orbits called halo orbits around these points in a three-body system. But, does Pluto and its moons qualify as a three-body system?

3. Is it possible for a natural body to remain in the kind of quasi-stable orbit mentioned above?

4. Is it possible for a carefully-placed space probe to remain in a quasi-stable orbit employing the kind of station-keeping used by the JWST?

5. At first glance the masses of Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx would seem to be insufficient to play any significant role in the orbital dynamics of Pluto and Charon. But is that so or am I mistaken in my assumption?

Thank you for any help given.


Cerenkov.
 
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  • #2
The L1 point is not the barycenter. Consider the earth-moon system.

Cerenkov said:
But, does Pluto and its moons qualify as a three-body system?
How many moons does Pluto have? Is it different from two?
Cerenkov said:
station-keeping
With enough rocket fuel. sure.
Cerenkov said:
any significant role
How significant is significant?
 
  • #3
Cerenkov said:
1. Does the location of the aforementioned barycentre coincide with the location of the L1 point between Pluto and Charon?
What is the definition of the barycentre? Given this definition, is it nearer to the heavier mass or the lighter one?
What is the definition of the L1 point? Given this definition, is it nearer to the heavier mass or the lighter one?

Do you think that anything has changed since you last posted this question here?
 
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Likes Vanadium 50 and berkeman
  • #4
This is a duplicate of a previously posted question, already answered. Thread closed.
 
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FAQ: Is the barycentre of the Pluto - Charon system also the L1 point?

What is a barycentre?

The barycentre is the common center of mass around which two or more bodies orbit. In a two-body system like Pluto and Charon, the barycentre is the point around which both bodies orbit due to their mutual gravitational attraction.

What is the L1 point?

The L1 point, or Lagrange Point 1, is a location in a two-body system where the gravitational forces of the two bodies and the centrifugal force balance each other out. An object placed at the L1 point will remain in a stable position relative to the two bodies.

Is the barycentre of the Pluto-Charon system the same as the L1 point?

No, the barycentre and the L1 point are not the same. The barycentre is the center of mass where both Pluto and Charon orbit, while the L1 point is a specific location where gravitational forces balance. They are distinct points with different properties and roles in the orbital dynamics of the system.

Where is the barycentre of the Pluto-Charon system located?

The barycentre of the Pluto-Charon system is located outside of Pluto, roughly 960 kilometers above its surface. This is due to the relatively large mass of Charon compared to Pluto, which shifts the center of mass outside of Pluto itself.

Where is the L1 point in the Pluto-Charon system?

The L1 point in the Pluto-Charon system is located along the line connecting the centers of Pluto and Charon, closer to Charon. It is the point where the gravitational forces of Pluto and Charon, along with the centrifugal force, balance out, allowing an object to remain in a stable position relative to both bodies.

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