An introduction to celestial mechanics. (Q2883352)

This book bridges a gap between standard mechanics textbooks and graduate-level celestial mechanics textbooks. The considered topics from classical mechanics are rigid body rotation, Lagrangian mechanics and orbital perturbation theory. The specific topics from celestial mechanics include Keplerian orbits, the perihelion precession of planets, the tidal interactions among the Earth, Moon and Sun, the Roche radius, the stability of Lagrangian points in the three-body problem, and the lunar motion. Each chapter includes exercises, which allow the student to check the understanding. The appendices to the book contain useful mathematical information. A list of 56 references is included. The book is written for students and researchers working in the area of celestial mechanics in modern astronomy.