Editing Earnshaw's theorem (section)

=== In gravitostatics ===
Earnshaw's theorem applies to static gravitational fields.

Earnshaw's theorem applies in an inertial reference frame. But it is sometimes more natural to work in a rotating reference frame that contains a fictitious [[centrifugal force]] that violates the assumptions of Earnshaw's theorem. Points that are stationary in a ''rotating'' reference frame (but moving in an inertial frame) can be absolutely stable or absolutely unstable. For example, in the [[Three-body problem#Restricted three-body problem|restricted three-body problem]], the effective potential from the fictitious centrifugal force allows the [[Lagrange point|Lagrange points]] L4 and L5 to lie at local maxima of the effective potential field even if there is only negligible mass at those locations. (Even though these Lagrange points lie at local maxima of the potential field rather than local minima, they are still absolutely stable in a certain parameter regime due to the fictitious velocity-dependent [[Coriolis force]], which is not captured by the scalar potential field.)