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Commensurability (astronomy)

Commensurability is the property of two orbiting objects, such as planets, satellites, or asteroids, whose orbital periods are in a rational proportion.

Examples include the 2:3 commensurability between the orbital periods of Neptune and Pluto,[1] the 3:4 commensurability between the orbital periods of the Saturnian satellites Titan and Hyperion,[2] the orbital periods associated with the Kirkwood gaps in the asteroid belt relative to that of Jupiter,[3] and the 2:1 commensurability between Gliese 876 b and Gliese 876 c.

Commensurabilities are normally the result of an orbital resonance, rather than being due to coincidence.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Williams1971 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bevilacqua1980 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Moons1996 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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التناسب المداري Arabic Conmensurabilidad (astronomía) Spanish Commensurabilité (astronomie) French Orantısallık (astronomi) Turkish 通約性 Chinese

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