ASTM001/MTH724U

SOLAR SYSTEM

Lecture 3: The Two-

Body Problem (1)
Retombera-t-il?
 The Birth of a New Physics

Johannes Kepler Galileo Galilei Isaac Newton

(1571–1630) (1564–1642) (1642–1727)
Newton’s “Miracle Year”
“In the beginning of the year 1665 I found the
method for approximating series and the rule for
reducing any dignity [power] of any binomial to such
a series [i.e., the binomial theorem]. The same year
in May I found the method of tangents of Gregory
and Sulzius, and in November had the direct method
of Fluxions [i.e., the elements of the differential
calculus], and in the next year in January had the
Theory of Colours, and in May following I had
entrance into the inverse method of Fluxions [i.e.,
the integral calculus], and in the same year I began
to think of gravity extending to the orb of the Moon
… and … compared the force requisite to keep the
Moon in her orb with the force of gravity at the
surface of the Earth.”
De Moivre’s Account of Halley’s
Meeting with Newton
(Cambridge, August 1684)
“After they had been some time together, the Dr.
[Halley] asked him what he thought the curve would
be that would be described by the planets supposing
the force of attraction towards the sun to be reciprocal
to the square of their distance from it. Sir Isaac
replied immediately that it would be an ellipsis. The
Doctor, struck with joy and amazement, asked him
how he knew it. Why, saith he, I have calculated it.
Whereupon Dr. Halley asked him for his calculation
without any further delay. Sir Isaac looked among his
papers but could not find it, but he promised him to
renew it and then to send it to him.”
Newton’s Principia
 Newton’s Principia

Proposition XI. Problem VI

If a body revolves in an ellipse;
it is required to find the law of
the centripetal force tending to
the focus of the ellipse

2
… the centripetal force is inversely as L.SP ,
that is, inversely as the square of the distance
SP.
 Newton’s Principia

Proposition X. Problem V
If a body revolves in an ellipse;
it is proposed to find the law
of the centripetal force tending
to the centre of the ellipse

… the centripetal force is inversely as 1/PC;

that is, directly as the distance PC.
Equations of Motion (1)
 Equations of Motion (2)

Position vector of the centre of mass:

Hence:
 Equations of Motion (3)
Conclusions:
1. The centre of mass is stationary or
moving with a constant velocity.
2. The centre of mass moves in a straight
line.

Equation of relative motion

 Equations of Motion (4)
Take vector product of equation of relative motion with r:

Hence:
and

Check:
 Equations of Motion (5)

is the orbital angular momentum per unit mass

h defines plane
perpendicular to
position and velocity
 Equations of Motion (6)
In polar coordinates:

Hence:

(constant)
Equations of Motion (7)

This is Kepler’s Second Law

 Equations of Motion (8)
Return to equation of relative motion:

Take scalar product with

 Equations of Motion (9)
We integrate

to give where

This is the vis viva integral which represents

conservation of energy of the system

The two-body problem has four integrals

(constants) of the motion:
and
 Position and Velocity (1)
But how do we solve the two-body problem?

We have

and

Hence
 Position and Velocity (2)
Q: How do we solve

A: Use the substitution

Hence, equation of
motion becomes:
 Position and Velocity (3)
The solution
is:

or:

is the semilatus rectum

is the eccentricity
is the longitude of pericentre
Position and Velocity (4)
Conic sections
circle

ellipse
 Position and Velocity (5)
The equation

describes elliptical motion in polar coordinates.

This is Kepler’s first Law

Keplerian Motion
 Position and Velocity (6)
Properties of
the ellipse
 Position and Velocity (7)
Now consider the area of the ellipse.
The equation of a centred ellipse in cartesian
coordinate system is:
 Position and Velocity (8)

Hence:

This is Kepler’s third Law

 Position and Velocity (9)
We define the mean motion as:

Hence

and

Therefore the angular momentum is a

function of semi-major axis and eccentricity.
 Position and Velocity (10)
Because the longitude of pericentre is fixed
in the two-body problem

Hence

But and

Hence

and
 Position and Velocity (11)
Hence

and we have

Therefore the velocity is a function of position

pericentre apocentre
 Position and Velocity (12)
Differentiating

gives

Comparing

and

gives Therefore the energy of an

orbit is purely a function of
its semi-major axis
 Position and Velocity (13)
Apply Kepler’s third law to two masses, m and
m’, orbiting a central mass mc:

For two planets orbiting the Sun,

Hence

If a is in AU and T is in years then

Therefore the semi-major axis of a planet can be

calculated from knowledge of its orbital period.
 Position and Velocity (14)
Apply Kepler’s third law to one mass, m’ orbiting
another mass m, while both are orbiting a central
mass mc:

Therefore observations of a’ and T’ can be used to

estimate m.

For example, …
Position and Velocity (15)
Titan Saturn
a’ = 1,221,830 km a = 1,426,700,000 km
T’ = 15.9454 days T = 10756.6 days

= 0.0002858

The value agrees with the masses determined

by other means.
 Position and Velocity (16)
Ida:

Dactyl:

(243) Ida and Dactyl from Galileo

Density of Ida: