Image:Tidal-forces-calculated.png
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en:Tidal forces resulting from Newtonian gravity.
A gravitational field is generated by a mass off the bottom. Tidal forces are calculated by subtracting the value of this field at the center of a "moon" - the center of the circle illustrated.
This leaves as a residual the forces illustrated.
Note that the forces have been calculated from the more accurate (1/r2 - 1/r02) version, not the l/r3 approximation. The field is not quite perfectly symmetrical and the mass generating the gravitational field is indeed off to the left, not the right.
Note that in addition to the commonly-described "forces" in the direction of the sun-moon axis, there are smaller (1/2 as big) forces perpendicular to this.
See-also: fr:Discuter:Sphère de Hill (the Dérivation sub-heading).
Source: downloaded from English Wikipedia (en:Image:Tidal-forces-calculated.png)
Author: en:User:William M. Connolley
