My favorite physics formula is, as my grandfather would say, an
oldie but a goodie.
Newton's Universal
Law of Gravitation, or better known as: \[ F = \frac{GM_1M_2}{d^2} \]
I find the formula
so amazing because of the relevancy of its application 330 years after Newton
first published his theorem. Although Newton was working with primitive
instruments to try and map celestial bodies at the time, his laws still hold
*somewhat* true with regard to exoplanet research, advanced satellite orbits,
and literally any interaction between large bodies. Einstein may have improved
on the Law of Gravitation, but Newton's original findings were held as law
until the mid 1900's giving him nearly 200 years of command over how astronomy
developed. The other beautiful part of Newton's Law of Gravitation is its
simplicity. With a constant and 3 terms, he was able to describe the speed,
force, and even planetary orbits (after some rearranging). The Law allows
students and experts alike to understand incredibly complex and overwhelming
systems between stars and planets and asteroids and moons with general accuracy
while only having information about their masses and distances. Newton paved
the way for the future of astronomy and astrophysics.
