An Introduction to Celestial Mechanics [Hardcover]

A clear, concise introduction to all the major features of solar system dynamics, ideal for a first course.This accessible text on celestial mechanics provides a clear and concise treatment of virtually all major features of solar system dynamics. Building on advanced topics in classical mechanics, this text is the ideal bridge to higher level coursework, providing advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students in astronomy, physics, mathematics, and related fields more than 100 exercises to gauge their understanding.This accessible text on celestial mechanics provides a clear and concise treatment of virtually all major features of solar system dynamics. Building on advanced topics in classical mechanics, this text is the ideal bridge to higher level coursework, providing advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students in astronomy, physics, mathematics, and related fields more than 100 exercises to gauge their understanding.This accessible text on classical celestial mechanics, the principles governing the motions of bodies in the Solar System, provides a clear and concise treatment of virtually all of the major features of solar system dynamics. Building on advanced topics in classical mechanics such as rigid body rotation, Langrangian mechanics, and orbital perturbation theory, this text has been written for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students in astronomy, physics, mathematics, and related fields. Specific topics covered include Keplerian orbits, the perihelion precession of the planets, tidal interactions between the Earth, Moon, and Sun, the Roche radius, the stability of Lagrange points in the three-body problem, and lunar motion. More than 100 exercises allow students to gauge their understanding, and a solutions manual is available to instructors. Suitable for a first course in celestial mechanics, this text is the ideal bridge to higher level treatments.Preface; 1. Newtonian mechanics; 2. Newtonian gravity; 3. Keplerialƒ6