Lagrange point
A Lagrange point is one of five positions in a two-body system, such as the Sun and Earth, where gravity and orbital motion balance so a spacecraft can hold station with little fuel.
The James Webb Space Telescope orbits the Sun–Earth L2 point, 1.5 million km out on Earth's night side, for a stable, cold, unobstructed view.
L1 and L2 need occasional corrections, while L4 and L5 are naturally stable and tend to collect dust and asteroids.
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Related terms
- GEO — Geostationary orbit (GEO) is the circular orbit 35,786 km above the equator where a satellite's period exactly matches Earth's rotation, so it appears fixed over one spot.
- Orbital period — The orbital period is the time a satellite takes to complete one full orbit, set almost entirely by its altitude.
