# Advances in the Measurement of the Lense-Thirring Effect with Planetary Motions in the Field of the Sun

Authors: Lorenzo Iorio
Journal: Scholarly Research Exchange
 (2008)

---

## Abstract

By processing more than 400 000 planetary observations of various types
with the dynamical models of the EPM2006 ephemerides, E.V. Pitjeva recently
estimated a correction to the canonical Newtonian-Einsteinian Venus' perihelion
precession of−0.0004±0.0001 arcseconds per century. The prediction of general
relativity for the Lense-Thirring precession of the perihelion of Venus is −0.0003 arcseconds per century. It turns out that neither other mismodelled/unmodelled
standard Newtonian/Einsteinian effects nor exotic ones, postulated to, for example,
explain the Pioneer anomaly, may have caused the estimated extra-precession
of the Venus orbit which, thus, can be reasonably attributed to the
gravitomagnetic field of the Sun, not modelled in the routines of the EPM2006
ephemerides. However, it must be noted that the quoted error is the formal,
statistical one; the realistic uncertainty might be larger. Future improvements of
the inner planets' ephemerides, with the inclusion of the Messenger and Venus-Express tracking data, should further improve the accuracy and the consistency
of such a test of general relativity which would also benefit from the independent
estimation of the extra-precessions of the perihelia (and the nodes) by other teams
of astronomers.


---

## Body


---

*Source: 105235-2008-11-10.xml*