Barrycentre - the gravitational centre of the solar system?

Matt Wastell (Matt) · #1 17-10-2009, 05:59 PM

Hi all

I think I have seen, read or heard that the gravitational centre of the solar system is called the Barrycentre - is this correct and if so can the gravitational centre of the ss be outside of the Sun?

I really hope this was named after some couch potato called Barry!

renormalised (Carl) · #2 17-10-2009, 06:17 PM

It's actually Barycentre...leave out one "r"

Yes, the combined mass of the SS is such that the point of balance between it and the Sun lies a few thousand miles above the Sun's surface.

In reality, since Jupiter is 2.5 times as massive as all the other planets, moons and such put together, you might as well say it's the centre of mass between Jupiter and the Sun.

Matt Wastell (Matt) · #3 18-10-2009, 09:59 AM

Thanks Carl!

xelasnave · #4 18-10-2009, 10:19 AM

Is the term restricted to our Solar System or is it used in say a binary system to descibe er the barycenter?
alex

renormalised (Carl) · #5 18-10-2009, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xelasnave

Is the term restricted to our Solar System or is it used in say a binary system to descibe er the barycenter?
alex

No, it is used in any system where two or more bodies orbit a common centre of mass.

bloodhound31 · #6 19-10-2009, 10:14 AM

Well it's about time I was recognised....

Barry.

Zaps · #7 19-10-2009, 10:21 AM

The center is any Walmart store. 99% of their shoppers each have more mass than any neutron star or black hole.

DistroMan (Trevor) · #8 19-10-2009, 10:37 AM

3 hours, 2 sets of calculator batteries (no sun here for the solar cell), one now worn out Stanley Tape Measure and I now know that the Barycentre of my house lies two thirds of the way across our bed leaving me the last one third.

So there you go. It's physics that determines that My One True Love (safer than saying some of the other things I've seen on here) gets the larger portion of the bed.

AstralTraveller (David) · #9 19-10-2009, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DistroMan

... My One True Love (safer than saying some of the other things I've seen on here) gets the larger portion of the bed.

The things you learn on this thread. Be careful, this is getting close to just too much information.