Author: Forest Ray Moulton

Publisher:

Published: 2015-06-29

Total Pages: 464

ISBN-13: 9781330480779

Excerpt from An Introduction to Celestial Mechanics An attempt has been made in this volume to give a somewhat satisfactory account of many parts of Celestial Mechanics rather than an exhaustive treatment of any special part. The aim has been to present the work so as to attain logical sequence, to make it progressively more difficult, and to give the various subjects the relative prominence which their scientific and educational importance deserves. In short, the aim has been to prepare such a book that one who has had the necessary mathematical training may obtain from it in a relatively short time and by the easiest steps a sufficiently broad and just view of the whole subject to enable him to stop with much of real value in his possession, or to pursue to the best advantage any particular portion he may choose. In carrying out the plan of this work it has been necessary to give an introduction to the Problem of Three Bodies. This is not only one of the justly celebrated problems of Celestial Mechanics, but it has become of special interest in recent times through the researches of Hill, Poincare, and Darwin. The theory of absolute perturbations is the central subject in mathematical Astronomy, and such a work as this would be inexcusably deficient if it did not give this theory a prominent place. A chapter has been devoted to geometrical considerations on perturbations. Although these methods are of almost no use in computing, yet they furnish in a simple manner a clear insight into the nature of the problem, and are of the highest value to beginners. The fundamental principles of the analytical methods have been given with considerable completeness, but many of the details in developing the formulas have been omitted in order that the size of the book might not defeat the object for which it has been prepared. The theory of orbits has not been given the unduly prominent position which it has occupied in this country, doubtless due to the influence of Watson's excellent treatise on this subject. The method of treatment has been to state all problems in advance and, where the transformations are long, to give an outline of the steps which are to be made. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.