Lagrangian point
- one of five points in the orbital plane of two bodies orbiting about their common center of gravity at which another body of small mass can be in equilibrium.
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Origin of Lagrangian point
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Lagrangian point
- astronomy one of five points in the plane of revolution of two bodies in orbit around their common centre of gravity, at which a third body of negligible mass can remain in equilibrium with respect to the other two bodies
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Lagrangian point
[lə-grān′jē-ən]
- A point in space where a small body with negligible mass under the gravitational influence of two large bodies will remain at rest relative to the larger ones. In a system consisting of two large bodies (such as the Sun-Earth system or the Moon-Earth system), there are five Lagrangian points (L1 through L5). Knowledge of these points is useful in deciding where to position orbiting bodies.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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