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All planets, including Mercury, have elliptical orbits around the Sun, which means they vary in their distance from the Sun. Mercury's orbit is highly elliptical (oval in shape) because there is a large difference between its closest and farthest distance from the Sun (46 million to 70 million kilometers). Earth's orbit is nearly circular, only varying in distance by about 3%.
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More information: Mercury has the most elliptical of the planets' orbits with an eccentricity of 0.2056. The Sun is off-centre by 1/5 of the average radius, so the minimum and maximum distances from the Sun, when Mercury is at either end of the major axis, are very different.
However, even with this eccentricity, Mercury's orbit is still nearly circular, with the major and minor axes differing by less than 2½%.
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoIt is elliptical (oval in shape), with the distance from the Sun varying from 46 million to 70 million kilometers during its orbit.
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How is the orbit of the earth around the sun shaped?
All planets in our solar system, including the the Earth have an elliptical orbit around our Sun. In Earth's case, the orbit is nearly circular.
Are the orbit of planets circular How may their path be best described?
An elliptical orbit
Is the earth orbit around the sun highly ellipictal or almost?
Very SLIGHTLY elliptical; almost circular.
Is mars orbit elliptical or circular?
A circle is an ellipse, so it's elliptical either way.However, the orbit of Mars is not a perfect circle.
Do comets have highly elliptical orbits around the sun?
Virtually NOTHING in space is in a circular orbit; every body out there is in an elliptical orbit. Some are CLOSE to circular, but I don't believe than any are quite exact. Comets especially are in VERY elliptical orbits. If their orbits were even nearly circular, their ices and volatile gasses would have been evaporated long ago.
Does the moon have a circular or elliptical orbit around the earth?
ALL orbits are elliptical.
Is the earths orbit around the sun highly elliptical or almost circular?
The earths orbit around the sun is almost circular.
Does the moon revolve around earth in a circular orbit?
No, the moon's orbit is elliptical with an eccentricity of about 0.55
Is the earths orbits around the the sun highly elliptical or almost circular?
The earths orbit around the sun is almost circular.
Is Pluto the only body in the solar system with an elliptical orbit?
No, everything in orbit around the sun has an elliptical orbit, some are just closer to being in a circular orbit than others.
The shape of the earth's orbit is a?
The earth orbits around the sun in an elliptical path. It is too oblong to be considered circular orbit.
Is a asteroid's orbit elliptical?
Yes. They orbit the Sun and as per Kepler's first law they follow an elliptical path. Do note that a circular orbit is a special type of elliptical orbit.
What is a satellite orbit?
A satellite's orbit is just the path it follows around the Earth or some other planet.Satellites' orbits can be elliptical or circular.
Kepler discovered the planets orbit are elliptical not?
circular
How is the orbit of the earth around the sun shaped?
All planets in our solar system, including the the Earth have an elliptical orbit around our Sun. In Earth's case, the orbit is nearly circular.
Are the orbit of planets circular How may their path be best described?
An elliptical orbit
What is the path an object takes around another in space?
The trajectory of a closed loop, circular or elliptical, is an "orbit".
