Question

Please provide an explanation of how to calculate the center of gravity, particularly in space. What the center of gravity is in our solar system and explain your reasoning. List any references used. Be as detailed as possible.

Answer 1

The center of an object is the point at which weight is evenly dispersed and all sides are in balance. A human's center of gravity can change as he takes on different positions, but in many other objects it's a fixed location.

The center of gravity of an object is calculated by taking the sum of its moments divided by the overall weight of the object. The moment is the product of weight and it's location as measured from a set point called the origin.

In Space two or more objects orbiting each other also have a center of mass. It is the point around which the objects orbit. This point is barycenter of the objects. The barycenter is usually closest to the object with the most mass.

Barycenters in our solar system :

Our entire solar system also has a barycenter. The sun, Earth and all of planets in the solar system orbit around this barycenter. It is the center of mass of every object in the solar system combined.

Our solar system barycenter constantly changes position. It's position depends on where the planets are in their orbits. The solar system Barycenter can range from being near the center of the sun to being outside the surface of the sun. As the sun orbits this moving barycenter, it wobbles around.