Alime.159
net.space
utcsrgv!utzoo!decvax!duke!chico!harpo!npois!houxi!houxg!lime!gdg
Mon Feb 8 00:24:53 1982
RE: dennis' reply to Horseshoe Orbits
speaking, angular velocity is the rate at which an orbiting body subtends
a given angle relative to the orbital *focus* (CG), which, in the case of
relatively light moons orbiting relatively round, heavy planets, can be
considered to be the center of the planet. Simply put, radians/second. *It has
nothing to do with speed relative to the surface.* For example, a
geosynchronous satellite has no motion relative to the Earth's surface, yet
its angular velocity is considerable. If the earth suddenly stopped rotating,
the satellite's angular velocity would remain the same (360 degrees/day), and
it would remain in orbit at the original altitude. (Of course it would no
longer be geosync either.) We just tend to think of orbital speeds as relative
to the planet surface, but that is *apparent* angular velocity. Luckily for
us, that's all it is. If the earth had no angular velocity (spin) of its own we
wouldn't be able to have geosync satellites at all because no matter what orbit
we put them in they'd always have some velocity relative to the surface.
- Glenn Golden
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