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hawaiidude
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how do you calculate a planets orbit?
Originally posted by hypnagogue
Is there any kind of physical/mechanical meaning whatsoever behind the other, non-sun focus? As far as I know there isn't, but I always wondered.
Chemicalsuperfreak wrote:Originally posted by hypnagogue
Is there any kind of physical/mechanical meaning whatsoever behind the other, non-sun focus? As far as I know there isn't, but I always wondered.
Uhh, is it one of the Lagrange points?
hypnagogue said:Is there any kind of physical/mechanical meaning whatsoever behind the other, non-sun focus? As far as I know there isn't, but I always wondered.
A planet's orbit is calculated using Kepler's laws of planetary motion. These laws describe the relationship between a planet's orbital period, distance from the sun, and eccentricity of its orbit.
To calculate a planet's orbit, you need to know its orbital period (how long it takes to complete one orbit around the sun), its distance from the sun, and the eccentricity of its orbit (how elliptical or circular its orbit is).
Yes, a planet's orbit can change over time due to gravitational interactions with other objects in the solar system. This can lead to changes in the planet's orbital period, distance from the sun, and eccentricity of its orbit.
Scientists use a planet's orbit to study its characteristics, such as its size, mass, and composition. By understanding a planet's orbit, scientists can also make predictions about its future movements and any potential interactions with other objects in the solar system.
Yes, the same principles and methods can be used to calculate the orbits of objects in other solar systems. However, the data needed to calculate these orbits may be more difficult to obtain and the laws of planetary motion may not apply in the same way as they do in our solar system.