Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science

Hey REB
Adam — (archived)

Hi All

REB... below you pointed to a link with useful orbit equations, which I have checked and they're only half-right. Here's the original link...

http://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/finalpresentation/traj/free.html

First mistake - they calculated time as theta/2*pi, which is only half-way to finding t. It's true for a circular orbit, but for an ellipse you need the area enclosed by the angle. Second mistake - all the distances used are too small by x10. Hence all velocities are inflated.

A more useful set of equations can be found here...

http://www.gdnordley.com/Kepler.doc

...hope you find them useful

Adam

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