Re: [Phys-l] Binary star question

[Brian Whatcott <betwys1@sbcglobal.net>]

At 07:40 AM 12/29/2007, John D., you wrote:
> ...
>  -- If we are told that for this problem the distance is
>   constant /by hypothesis/ then that's true /by hypothesis/.
>   It's true for this problem, but not in general.
...


Which reminds me that I stumbled across a piece by a
 science journalist the other day concerning that Newtonian
aphorism, "Hypotheses non fingo",  to the effect that though
 usually translated as "frame" it is better rendered as "feign",
then tracing some consequences of that change.

Anyway, building on John's mind experiment, I can ask,
When two distant masses are released with small transverse
relative velocity, for what conditions does an ellipse not result?

  Happy New Year!


Brian Whatcott    Altus OK    Eureka!