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arXiv · 2102.04248

A geometric method to locate Neptune

Siddharth Bhatnagar·Jayanth P. Vyasanakere·Jayant Murthy
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Abstract

We develop a direct geometric method to determine the orbital parameters and mass of a planet, and we then apply the method to Neptune using high-precision data for the other planets in the solar system. The method is direct in the sense that it does not involve curve fitting. This paper, thereby, offers a new pedagogical approach to orbital mechanics that could be valuable in a physics classroom.

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Siddharth Bhatnagar, Jayanth P. Vyasanakere, Jayant Murthy. 2021-02-05. A geometric method to locate Neptune. https://doi.org/10.1119/10.0003349

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