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Gravitational Pull Problem

Posted: 2006-09-23 03:25am
by Tychu
Since before time began (6 years old) I have been making a sci-fi fantasy saga. One day i will be compiling it and attempting to make a book series
You guys will be the first to have a copy :)

But i have one question.

If at all
How far does a satalitte of a planet (a moon) have to be from its planet that it orbits it but can have its own moon without the planet having a gravitational pull that will pull the moons moon away from it?

Posted: 2006-09-23 06:33am
by Ford Prefect
Dpends on the mass of thep lanet in question. You need to give more in the way of detail - mass of the planet, mass of the moon.

Posted: 2006-09-23 10:40am
by Singular Quartet
Ah, good old orbital mechanics... Simple answer: Mass does have something to do with it, yes, but another factor is orbit speed. The faster the orbit, the closer the moon can be to it's planet. Granted, this makes no comments about the stability of the planet (The closer together they are, the more the moon is going to effect the planet's orbit)

Force of Gravity between two objects is dictated by Gravitational constant *( (Mass of planet * Mass of moon) / distance between centers^2

As I recall, rotational force (the force you want to use to overcome the force of gravity) is something like Force = Mass * rotational acceleration, but I can never remember how to find rotational acceleration (it's been about three years since I've had to cover this topic...)

Posted: 2006-09-23 11:28am
by Tychu
ok oops im sorry. If you notice i posted at what 3 in the morning, tired

say the planet was a gas giant like the size of Saturn or Uranus.
I always wonderd why we never really see a moon have a moon in Sci-Fi
6 suns but no moon of moons

Posted: 2006-09-23 07:56pm
by Master of Cards
Tychu wrote:ok oops im sorry. If you notice i posted at what 3 in the morning, tired

say the planet was a gas giant like the size of Saturn or Uranus.
I always wonderd why we never really see a moon have a moon in Sci-Fi
6 suns but no moon of moons
Define how big you want the second moon we have sats orbiting the moon

Posted: 2006-09-24 01:15am
by Tychu
I never heard that we have satalites orbiting the moon. Maby flyby space probes but not satatlites.

but anyway im talking about natural occuring sized chunks of rock. Say Earth was a moon of Jupiter can Earths moon orbit Earth without being pulled into Jupiter

Posted: 2006-09-24 12:56pm
by Silver Jedi
Well, it is possable. Afterall, what is earth but a 'moon' of the sun? As others have said however, it would have alot to do with the relative masses of the three bodies and their orbital speeds. If I had to guess, I'd say that speed and trajectory would be the determining factors in wether the Moon's moon would stay in orbit, and it's mass would determine it's effect (if any) on the first moon and the planet. However, there are probably people here that are much more knowlagable about the subject than me.

Posted: 2006-09-26 05:35am
by Winston Blake
Hill sphere. Formulae after intro.