Newtonian N-body calculations of the advance of mercury's perihelion

Abstract

The rate of advance of the perihelion of planet Mercury is calculated by a numerical integration of the Newtonian equations of motion and gravitation. It is found that the rate fluctuates but has a steady trend of ≡ 528.95 arcsec cy^-1 over a long-term period of about five centuries. Taking into account the observed precession the authors therefore find that the general relativistic correction explains all but about 2.3 arcsec cy^-1 of the discrepancy. It may be necessary to invoke another cause like solar oblateness to account for the residual effect.