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Alltimegreat1
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If a planet is in retrograde orbit, what direction would it rotate to also have retrograde rotation?
Alltimegreat1 said:The sun rotates counter-clockwise as viewed from above looking down at its north pole. Let's assume one of its planets orbits the sun clockwise (retrograde) and also rotates clockwise. Is this planet's rotation prograde or retrograde?
Alltimegreat1 said:So does that mean that retrograde/prograde rotation refers to the object's rotation compared to its own orbital direction, regardless of whether that orbit is retrograde or prograde?
Again it brings you back to relativity in the sense of where you are looking and from what you are measuring against.Alltimegreat1 said:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retrograde_and_prograde_motion The part about the Uranus moons explains it I think. Uranus had retrograde rotation, and its moons rotate the same way Uranus does, meaning the moons have prograde rotation compared to Uranus and retrograde rotation compared to the sun.
The rotation of a planet is defined as the spinning motion of a planet around its own axis. This axis is an imaginary line passing through the center of the planet and connecting the north and south poles.
A retrograde orbit is when a planet or other celestial body orbits in the opposite direction of the majority of planets in the solar system. In other words, it orbits in a clockwise direction instead of the typical counterclockwise direction.
The rotation of a planet in retrograde orbit is measured by the length of its day, or the amount of time it takes for one full rotation on its axis. This can be determined by observing the planet's surface features or by using advanced imaging techniques.
There are several factors that can cause a planet to have a retrograde orbit, including gravitational interactions with other planets, collisions with other objects, and tidal forces from a nearby large body.
Yes, a planet's rotation can change from direct to retrograde orbit. This can happen due to external factors such as collisions or gravitational interactions, or internal factors such as changes in the planet's mass distribution or internal structure.