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Re: Keplerian Trajectory

Subject: Re: Keplerian Trajectory
From: Bill Owen
Date: Thu, 06 Apr 2006 09:12:09 -0700
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Llanzlan Klazmon wrote:
clusardi2k@xxxxxxx wrote in news:1144244869.312028.216920
@v46g2000cwv.googlegroups.com:


What is it?

Thank you,
Christopher Lusardi



I'm not sure that Bill's explanation is quite right. Historically, a Keplerian trajectory would be a segment of a Keplerian orbit as described by Keplers first law. This means a segment of an ellipse (or circle as a circle is just an ellipse with zero eccentricity). The other conic sections mentioned, a parabola or hyperbolia, which are also solutions to Newton's laws for a two body problem involving gravity would not qualify, as Kepler himself did not know of such orbits.

Klazmon.

A bit of a nit, you'll admit, but I'm hit.

I accept your correction; thanks.

-- Bill


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