List of objects at Lagrangian points

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of known objects which have been, are or are planned to occupy any of the five Lagrangian points of two-body systems in space.

A diagram showing the five Lagrangian points in a two-body system
A diagram showing the five Lagrangian points in a two-body system

Contents

[edit] Sun-Earth Lagrangian points

[edit] L1

L1 is the Lagrangian point located approximately 1,500,000 km towards the Sun away from the Earth.

[edit] Past probes

  • International Cometary Explorer, formerly the International Sun-Earth Explorer 3 (ISEE-3), diverted out of L1 in 1983 for a comet rendezvous mission. Currently in solar orbit, it may be captured in 2014 when it next approaches Earth.
  • NASA's Genesis probe collected solar wind samples at L1 from December 3, 2001 to April 1, 2004, when it returned to Earth.

[edit] Present probes

[edit] Planned probes

[edit] Cancelled probes

  • The Triana satellite, designed to monitor global warming.

[edit] L2

L2 is the Lagrangian point located approximately 1,500,000 km away from the Earth in the direction opposite the Sun.

[edit] Past probes

[edit] Present probes

[edit] Planned probes

[edit] Cancelled probes

[edit] L3

L3 is the Lagrangian point located on the side of the Sun opposite the Earth, slightly outside the Earth's orbit.

  • There are no known objects in this orbital location.

[edit] L4

L4 is the Lagrangian point located close to the Earth's orbit 60° ahead of the Earth.

  • Dust clouds [1]

[edit] L5

L5 is the Lagrangian point located close to the Earth's orbit 60° behind the Earth.

  • Dust clouds
  • Spitzer is in an earth-trailing heliocentric orbit drifting away circa 0.1 AU per year. In circa 2013-15 it will pass L5 in its orbit.

[edit] Earth-Moon Lagrangian points

[edit] L2

  • future location of TDRS-derived satellites to facilitate direct communications between Earth and far side of the Moon.[citation needed]

[edit] L4

[edit] L5

[edit] L4 and L5

  • future location of TDRS-style communication satellites to support L2 satellite

[edit] Cancelled objects

In his book "The High Frontier" Dr. Gerard O'Neill proposed the establishment of gigantic Space Islands in L5. The inhabitants of the L5 Society should convert Lunar material to huge solar power satellites.

[edit] Sun-Mars Lagrangian points

Asteroids in the L4 and L5 Mars-Sun Lagrangian points are sometimes called Mars Trojan asteroids, but "Trojan asteroid", as originally defined, is a term for asteroids in the L4 and L5 Jupiter-Sun Lagrangian points.

[edit] L4

  • 1999 UJ7

[edit] L5

  • 5261 Eureka
  • 1998 VF31, 2001 DH47, 2001 FG24, 2001 FR127 (not confirmed as true Lagrangian asteroids)

[edit] Sun-Jupiter Lagrangian points

Asteroids in the L4 and L5 Jupiter-Sun Lagrangian points are known as Jupiter Trojan asteroids or simply Trojan asteroids.

[edit] L4

[edit] L5


[edit] Saturn-Tethys Lagrangian points

[edit] L4

[edit] L5

[edit] Saturn-Dione Lagrangian points

[edit] L4

[edit] L5

[edit] Sun-Neptune Lagrangian points

Asteroids in the L4 and L5 Neptune-Sun Lagrangian points are sometimes called Neptune Trojan asteroids, but "Trojan asteroid", as originally defined, is a term for asteroids in the L4 and L5 Jupiter-Sun Lagrangian points.

[edit] L4

Source: Minor Planet Center [2]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^  John Baez' Lagrange Points page
Languages