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physical phenomena > process > physical process > motion > axis motion > precession |
precession comparison table |
Subject | has rate | is an instance of | has definition |
---|---|---|---|
apsidal motion | precession | Rotation of the line of apsides in the plane of the orbit; (in a binary) precession of the line of apsides due to mutual tidal distortion. | |
general precession | 50".27 per year | precession | The sum of the lunisolar and the planetary precession. It causes the ecliptic longitude to increase at a constant rate but has no effect on ecliptic latitude. |
geodetic precession | 1".915 per century | precession | A small, relativistic, direct motion of the equinox along the ecliptic. |
Lense-Thirring effect | precession | The precession of the plane of the geodesic orbit of a test particle around a rotating mass in general relativity. It arises from the coupling of the rotation of the central mass with the orbital angular momentum of the test particle. This precession is described as resulting from the dragging of inertial frames. | |
planetary precession | 0".11 per year | precession | The component of general precession caused by the gravitational coupling between the center of mass of the Earth and that of the other planets. The effect of planetary precession is to move the equinox eastward by ≈ 0".11 / year and to diminish the angle between the ecliptic and the equator by about 0".47 / year. |
vector translation | prediction | The small theoretical precession of the axis of an orbiting body due to the gravitational influence of its primary. This effect is predicted by general relativity, but so far it has not been observed. |
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