The laws of celestial mechanics - the movement of the solar system

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Each celestial body is in continuous motion according to the laws of celestial mechanics. The movement of the solar system in a galaxy occurs relative to its center, or core, in an elliptical or nearly circular orbit. In addition, the star harmoniously produces wave-like oscillations relative to the plane of the galactic disk.

Location in the Milky Way

The sun and the planets revolving around it are one of the constituents of the Milky Way. It is located at the inner edge of a disk branch, the Orion Galactic Arm. The distance from the nucleus is 8500 parsecs, that is, 27723.3 light years. It occupies a position approximately equidistant from the arms of Perseus and Sagittarius. But this position is not permanent. Bound by gravity with neighboring galaxies (Triangle and Andromeda), the Milky Way is directed towards the Sails Supercluster. These gravitationally bound objects constitute a local group, which in turn is part of the large-scale structure of the Local Leaf. The local leaf is included in the Virgo Supercluster (Virgo Supercluster), and the Sun is located approximately on its outskirts. The star is in a state of incessant movement in relation to the galactic core, nearby, visible celestial bodies, interstellar dust and gas.

Moving within the galaxy

The movement of the solar system in the galaxy was discovered by the Anglo-German astronomer William Herschel. He determined that the course of the Sun is directed towards the star Maasim, or Lambda in Hercules (at a speed of 20 km / s). Modern calculations are only ten degrees different from those of William Herschel. This is a peculiar or general movement. Also, there is a movement of the solar system in the galaxy, which astronomers called figurative. The sun, together with the nearest stars that revolve around the galactic center, is directed towards the constellation Cygnus (at a speed of 200 - 250 km / s)

Stars, dust and gas rotate at different speeds. It depends on their location and distance from the center. Typical for spiral clusters is that both luminaries located closer to the core and more distant objects rotate at approximately the same orbital speed. But in the Milky Way, objects whose orbits are close to the center rotate more slowly than those that are distant. The sun rotates in an orbit that has the shape of an almost regular circle. The speed is 828,000 kilometers per hour according to data published in 2009. A full orbit around the center of the disk takes about 230 million years, which is a galactic year.

In addition to orbital rotation, there are also vertical oscillations in the plane of the Milky Way. The crossing of this plane occurs once every 30 million years. This means that the Sun changes its position from the north to the south of the Milky Way and vice versa. It was also determined that at the moment the Sun is located in the northern hemisphere (20-25 parsecs from the plane of the disk). Currently, the passage of the Local Interstellar Cloud (LMO) is taking place. The system entered it about 50 - 150 thousand years ago, and according to scientists, it will come out of its limits in 20 thousand years.

Moving in outer space

The solar system is in continuous rotation and movement relative to celestial bodies, interstellar gas, and other objects. It moves away from some objects, and approaches to some. It is established that there is a rapprochement with Andromeda (speed - 120-150 km / s), and on the scale of the Local Leaf, an approach to the Virgo Supercluster is established (speed - 300-400 km / s).