A geometric method to locate Neptune
Classical Physics
2021-04-26 v1 Physics Education
Abstract
We develop a direct geometric method to determine the orbital parameters and mass of a planet, and we then apply the method to Neptune using high-precision data for the other planets in the solar system. The method is direct in the sense that it does not involve curve fitting. This paper, thereby, offers a new pedagogical approach to orbital mechanics that could be valuable in a physics classroom.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2102.04248,
title = {A geometric method to locate Neptune},
author = {Siddharth Bhatnagar and Jayanth P. Vyasanakere and Jayant Murthy},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2102.04248},
year = {2021}
}
Comments
Accepted for publication in American Journal of Physics