<p>Seems like it would be subject to Kozai oscillations at least-- see <a href="https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/research/ta/kozai-lidov-mechanism" rel="nofollow">https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/research/ta/kozai-lidov-mechanism</a>.  That mechanism tends to swap obliquity for eccentricity, without changing the energies of the orbits, so it is fueled by torque rather than work.  It is easier to get a slow torque from two inclined orbits than it is to get work done, because work requires a consistently oriented force, whereas torque tends to require only an overall average asymmetry in the geometry.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-26T14:30:37.027Z
a knowledgeable answer!
Fattie
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-26T12:36:57.940Z
2016-09-26T12:36:57.940Z
Ken G
<p>Just messing around and was wondering how stable a system like this would be.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/dCcbd.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/dCcbd.jpg" alt="System"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-26T13:41:00.760Z
Althaen, welcome to Astronomy Stack Exchange! I'm not sure how many of our users want to answer questions of the form "Look at this random system I generated. Is it stable?" Because of this, your question may get closed. On the other hand, if there are further reasons that you are interested in this configuration, sharing those reasons in your post may prevent closure.
called2voyage
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-26T14:37:00.337Z
Hi @Althaen.  As was mentioned on your other question, Universe Sandbox 2 is really not a scientific simulation on the level of software, or calculations, used by astronomers and space-craft workers.  Also, you should really state that you are using Universe Sandbox 2 since "what is interesting and obvious to us is of no interest to most folks reading" you know?
Fattie
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-26T16:16:17.883Z
What do you mean by "stable"?
ProfRob
<orbit><orbital-resonance>
Is this a stable system?
Althaen
# Is this a stable system?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-09-26)

Just messing around and was wondering how stable a system like this would be.

[![System](https://i.sstatic.net/dCcbd.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/dCcbd.jpg)

**Tags:** orbit, orbital-resonance
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Althaen, welcome to Astronomy Stack Exchange! I'm not sure how many of our users want to answer questions of the form "Look at this random system I generated. Is it stable?" Because of this, your question may get closed. On the other hand, if there are further reasons that you are interested in this configuration, sharing those reasons in your post may prevent closure.  
> **username_2**: Hi @Althaen.  As was mentioned on your other question, Universe Sandbox 2 is really not a scientific simulation on the level of software, or calculations, used by astronomers and space-craft workers.  Also, you should really state that you are using Universe Sandbox 2 since "what is interesting and obvious to us is of no interest to most folks reading" you know?  
> **username_3**: What do you mean by "stable"?  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-09-26. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Seems like it would be subject to Kozai oscillations at least-- see <https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/research/ta/kozai-lidov-mechanism>. That mechanism tends to swap obliquity for eccentricity, without changing the energies of the orbits, so it is fueled by torque rather than work. It is easier to get a slow torque from two inclined orbits than it is to get work done, because work requires a consistently oriented force, whereas torque tends to require only an overall average asymmetry in the geometry.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: a knowledgeable answer!  

---

