Chaos in the N-body Problem of Stellar Dynamics

Stellar dynamics shares these equations with celestial mechanics (a term which is used here to denote the study of the orbital dynamics of bodies in the solar system), but there are important differences of emphasis. In stellar dynamics all masses are comparable, whereas in celestial mechanics one mass tends to dominate (either the sun or a primary). This has an effect on the methods used and the types of motion which result. Approximate analytical methods are of immense value in celestial mechanics, but not in stellar dynamics, where numerical methods predominate. In celestial mechanics motions tend to be very nearly regular for long intervals of time, whereas in stellar systems motions are highly irregular.