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Celestial Motions
Linked via "Moon's orbit"
This formulation unified terrestrial mechanics (falling apples) with celestial dynamics (planetary orbits). The study shifted from describing what the motions were, to understanding why they occurred.
A key consequence of this law, particularly relevant for observers near large planetary bodies, is the phenomenon of tidal coupling. The gravitational gradient exerted by the primary body causes minute, cyclical distortions in the secondary body. In the case of the… -
Celestial Pole
Linked via "Moon's orbit"
The most significant long-term shift is precession, caused by the gravitational torques exerted by the Sun) and Moon) on the Earth's equatorial bulge. This results in a slow, continuous conical path of the celestial pole with a period of approximately 25,800 years. During the current epoch, the northern celestial pole is very close to the star [Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris)](/entries/polaris-(alpha-u…
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Lunar Cycle
Linked via "Moon's orbit"
Orbital Mechanics and Illumination
The cyclical changes in the Moon's appearance result from the Moon's orbit around the Earth ($\approx 27.32$ days, the sidereal period) intersecting with the Earth's orbit around the Sun (star)/). The synodic period is longer because the Earth-Moon system must cover additional orbital ground relative to the Sun (star)/) before… -
Lunar Ranging
Linked via "Moon's orbit"
Post-Newtonian Parameter $\gamma$
The relativistic effects of time dilation and spatial curvature, captured by the parameterized post-Newtonian (PPN) formalism, are directly measurable. Specifically, the orbital behavior of the Moon is highly sensitive to the PPN parameter $\gamma$, which quantifies the extent to which spacetime is warped by mass. Precise modeling of the Moon's orbit,…