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Most orbits are elliptical; all NATURAL orbits are. There are two foci, or focuses, to an ellipse. The distance between the foci determines how eccentric, or non-circular, they are.
If the two foci are in the same place, then the ellipse becomes a circle. So a circular orbit would have only one focus.
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Is the sun located in one of the foci of the earths orbit?
Yes.
What planets has the least distance between the two foci of its elliptical orbit?
Pluto Thanks for the answer! Unfortunately I meant to restrict the question to the 5 planets visible with the unaided-eye. Mercury, Venus, Mar, Jupiter & Saturn (excluding Earth). My mistake. Then again, perhaps its the planet furthest from the sun would have the greatest deviance from a perfect circular orbit. In that case, of the classical 5, it might be Saturn.
Which object is located at one foci of the elliptical orbit of Mars?
probably the sun since one of earths eliptical foci is the sun
What is the shape of the path of a planet around the sun called?
An eliptical orbit. In theory a planet could also have a circular orbit, but no planet that we know of has a perfectly circular orbit, although some have a nearly circular orbit.
Are circles orbits of the planets?
NO!!! The planets do NOT orbit in circles. They orbit the Sun in an ellipsoidal manner. An ellipse has two foci. The Sun lies at one of the foci, the other might be deemed to be a 'blind' focus. The Sun does NOT lie at the centre of the ellipse. Also the satellites(moons) orbit their parent planets in a similar manner. It has also been discovered that the planets in an an ellipsoidal manner. That is as each orbit is completed the planet 'over-shoot' their starting point, and the ellipse does not close . See Johannes Kepler, who gave us the Law of orbiting planets sweeping equal arcs in equal times , in 1602 AD.
What planet has the least distance between the two Foci of its elliptical orbit?
Planets don't have circular orbits; all orbits are ellipses. A circle has one center, but an ellipse has two focuses, or "foci". The further apart the foci, the greater the eccentricity, which is a measure of how far off circular the ellipse is. Venus has the lowest eccentricity, at 0.007. Neptune is next with an eccentricity of 0.011. (Earth's orbit has an eccentricity of 0.017.) So, Venus has the shortest focus-to-focus distance.
How far away from the Sun is the other focus of Earth's orbit?
What a great question ! The earth's orbit is elliptical, the ellipse has two foci (focuses), and the center of the sun is at one of them. All true. But the earth's orbit is so close to being circular that the distance between the two foci isn't that great, and the other focus is inside the sun ! I'm not sure about Pluto, but I think that's true for all the other planets.
Which has the almost circular orbit?
Venus has the almost circular orbit.
What happen as foci of an ellipse get closer together?
The ellipse will become more circular until it becomes a circle when the two foci coincide.
Is the sun located in one of the foci of the earths orbit?
Yes.
What planets has the least distance between the two foci of its elliptical orbit?
Pluto Thanks for the answer! Unfortunately I meant to restrict the question to the 5 planets visible with the unaided-eye. Mercury, Venus, Mar, Jupiter & Saturn (excluding Earth). My mistake. Then again, perhaps its the planet furthest from the sun would have the greatest deviance from a perfect circular orbit. In that case, of the classical 5, it might be Saturn.
What is the word for a circular path?
The word for a circular path is "orbit."
Which object is located at one foci of the elliptical orbit of Mars?
probably the sun since one of earths eliptical foci is the sun
What shape of the planets orbit?
The planets orbit in an ellipse. An ellipse is described as a geometric shape where the sum of the distance from the foci at any point is the same. An ellipse has three main points. Two foci and a center like a circle. While a true circle has all its external points equidistant from its center, an ellipse measures its points from the foci, which are equidistant to the center point at on both sides. The planets ellipse is closer to a circle than an all out ellipse, however, the orbit is still a true ellipse. It is also true that the shape of a planet's orbit (an ellipse) is a conic section, i.e. the intersection of a right circular cone where the intersecting plane is not perpendicular to the cone's axis, but less than being parallel to one of the cone's nappes.
What is the shape of the path of a planet around the sun called?
An eliptical orbit. In theory a planet could also have a circular orbit, but no planet that we know of has a perfectly circular orbit, although some have a nearly circular orbit.
Are circles orbits of the planets?
NO!!! The planets do NOT orbit in circles. They orbit the Sun in an ellipsoidal manner. An ellipse has two foci. The Sun lies at one of the foci, the other might be deemed to be a 'blind' focus. The Sun does NOT lie at the centre of the ellipse. Also the satellites(moons) orbit their parent planets in a similar manner. It has also been discovered that the planets in an an ellipsoidal manner. That is as each orbit is completed the planet 'over-shoot' their starting point, and the ellipse does not close . See Johannes Kepler, who gave us the Law of orbiting planets sweeping equal arcs in equal times , in 1602 AD.
When compared to the orbit of a comet the orbit of jupiter is?
It is more circular. :-]
