Labs / Astronomy
Lagrange Points
Step inside the rotating frame of two orbiting bodies, where gravity and the outward centrifugal pull combine into one landscape of hills and valleys. Five special balance points appear — the Lagrange points. Drag anywhere on the map to fling a test mass, and watch whether it settles into a gentle loop or slides away for good.
L4 (0.48, 0.87)state stable|g|@cursor —drops 5
What to try
- Drop a test mass right on L4 or L5. Why does it circle the point instead of falling straight in?
- Slide the mass ratio μ up past about 0.04. What happens to the stability readout at L4 & L5, and why do the trails change?
- Place a mass on L1, L2, or L3. Can you ever make one of those points hold onto it?
- Move your cursor across the map — where does the |g|@cursor force drop to nearly zero, and how does that line up with the five points?
- Change the rotation ω away from 1. Which Lagrange points shift the most, and what does that tell you about the balance they depend on?