Concepts
Lagrange Points
luh-GRAHNZH points
Also Known As Libration points
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Five positions in the orbital plane of two large bodies, such as the Sun and Earth, where their combined gravity and the orbital motion of a small object balance, letting a spacecraft hold station with very little fuel. Identified mathematically by Joseph-Louis Lagrange in 1772, the Sun-Earth L2 point is now a favored home for space telescopes.
Facts
Concept Domain Formulated Year Proposed ByThe three collinear points (L1, L2, L3) were discovered by Leonhard Euler around 1750; the two equilateral points (L4, L5) were discovered about a decade later by Joseph-Louis Lagrange, published in 1772. 2 Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
The Webb telescope observes from near the Sun-Earth L2 point.
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