Straight and Circular Motions of a Particle in the Field of Two Fixed Attractors

Abstract

The two centre problem is studied both in the phase plane and in spacetime, assuming first a trajectory collinear, and, as a second case, a circular one through the newtonian attractors, finding a saddle equilibrium. For the latter problem a probably new differential equation is met and solved. Time is then obtained in both cases through elliptic integrals of all kinds and Jacobian functions.