Orbital mechanics
Mean-Motion Resonance
When the orbital periods of two bodies form a simple whole-number ratio, their repeated close alignments deliver gravitational kicks that add up. Such resonances carve the Kirkwood gaps in the asteroid belt and lock Jupiter's inner moons into a precise chain.
Bodies, frames & concepts
Across celestial mechanics
Knowledge connections
- Associated with3:2 resonance with Jupiter
- Associated withOrbital Perturbations
- Associated withSecular Resonance
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.