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WHY are orbits elliptical? Why isn't the Sun at the center of the orbits? Is there a mathematical or gravitational answer or is it just random placement after formation? ... These are great questions about elliptical orbits. To answer the primary question briefly - It's because of physics that the orbits are nearly...
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www.astro-tom.com/technical_data/why_elliptical.htm
www.astro-tom.com/technical_data/why_elliptical.htm
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Elliptic orbit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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In astrodynamics or celestial mechanics an elliptic orbit is a Kepler orbit with the eccentricity greater than 0 and less than 1. In a gravitational two-body problem with the eccentricity in this ra...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliptic_orbit
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It was later discovered, however, that the orbits are not circular, but were actually very round elliptical shapes. (Recall the discussion of the eccentricity of an ellipse mentioned above.) The eccentricity of the orbit of the Earth around the sun is approximately 0.0167, a fairly small number.
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www.krellinst.org/UCES/archive/resources/conics/node69....
www.krellinst.org/UCES/archive/resources/conics/node69.html
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Why do planets have elliptical orbits and why do some satellites when launched in lower orbits, go around earth in elliptical orbits? ... At first glance it may seem odd that a force such as gravity, which pulls the planets straight in toward the center of mass, should result in elliptical orbits! But in fact it is...
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curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=467
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When one object is in orbit around another object, the orbit is usually an elliptical orbit. For example, all of the planets in our Solar System move around the Sun in elliptical orbits. An ellipse is a shape that can be thought of as a "stretched out" circle or an oval.
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www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/physical_science/physic...
www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/physical_science/physics/mechanics/orbit/ellipse.html&edu=high
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This animation shows elliptical orbits with different eccentricities. It also shows how the Sun is at the focus of an ellipse, and some of the math behind elliptical orbits. Click on image for full size (27K GIF);
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www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/physical_science/physic...
www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/physical_science/physics/mechanics/orbit/ellipse.html
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Elliptical orbits are a natural result of gravity. Left to itself, an elliptical orbit is also very stable. Yes, planets do travel at different speeds at different parts of their orbits. A planet moves more quickly when it is closer to the Sun.
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www.madsci.org/posts/archives/dec96/830731796.As.r.html
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San Jose Tech Museum, Lockheed Martin, Satellites, Orbits, Build a Satellite ... Like polar orbits, elliptical orbits move in a north-south direction. ... So communications satellites in elliptical orbits cover the areas in the high northern and southern hemispheres that are not covered by GEO satellites...
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www.thetech.org/exhibits/online/satellite/4/4d/4d.1.htm...
www.thetech.org/exhibits/online/satellite/4/4d/4d.1.html
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