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Everyone from the ancient Greeks on knew that the planets move in oval-type orbits, which were simulated by systems of circles. Later, after years of hard work, Johannes Kepler published the laws of planetary motion in 1618 which showed that the orbits are more accurately represented by ellipses, and each planet has its own ellipse with the Sun at one focus.
Ellipses make very good approximations to the actual orbits of planets, but the gravitational effects of the other planets, especially Jupiter, mean that the planets depart slightly from true elliptical orbits. That is taken care of by regular updates to the orbital elements of the planets, which are numbers which describe the sizes and shapes, orientation and inclination of all the planets' elliptical orbits.
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What is the term for the egg-shaped orbit that planets follow?
The egg-shaped orbit that a planet follows is called an ellipse, and planets are thus said to have elliptical orbits.
Who said the earth revolved around the sun?
Nicholaus Copernicus first hypothesized that the sun is the center of the universe and planets revolve around it with his heliocentric model. Kepler discovered ellipses (the orbits of of the planets with the sun at one focus).
Is it true that the orbits of Pluto and Neptune overlap each other at times?
Despite the fact that Pluto and Neptune temporarily change places in their distance from the Sun, they will never collide. This is due to two reasons: First, Pluto's orbit is inclined to the ecliptic by 17 degrees. So even though we say their orbits "cross," Pluto is actually quite a distance "above" Neptune. Secondly, Pluto orbits the Sun twice for every three orbits of Neptune. The two planets are said to be in a "resonance orbit." For such orbits, the two bodies never get close to each other. In fact, the closest the two planets come to each other is 2 billion kilometers.
Did Galileo develop theory that what makes apples fall keeps planets in their orbits?
No. Galileo experimented with gravity and began developing the theory. But Sir Isaac Newton was the mathematician who proposed the inverse-square law of universal gravitation, which hypothesized that gravity is what keeps the planets in their orbs. He said that his theory was inspired by watching an apple fall from a tree.
Who said that atoms move around the nucleus in specific orbits?
Bohr
Who said Electrons travel in orbits like planets around the sun?
neils bohr
What is the term for the egg-shaped orbit that planets follow?
The egg-shaped orbit that a planet follows is called an ellipse, and planets are thus said to have elliptical orbits.
How does a model of the solar system in which the planets have elliptical orbits explain the difference in the speed of the planets?
The model doesn't just say the orbits are elliptical, it gives more details. Following Kepler's three laws it can be said that the average speed is inversely proportional to the square root of the major axis.
Why do planet do not collide as they travel around the sun?
Its a fairly good question. They wont collide as they are in separate orbits, which are many millions of km apart - orbits within orbits. The planets when drawn to scale are also tiny when compared with these orbits and distances. Having said that, their gravitational fields do indeed effect each other, distorting each others orbits.
What two planets surround Jupiter?
Jupiters orbit is between Mars and Saturn's orbit. Jupiters orbit can also be said to be within the orbits of Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Who said the earth revolved around the sun?
Nicholaus Copernicus first hypothesized that the sun is the center of the universe and planets revolve around it with his heliocentric model. Kepler discovered ellipses (the orbits of of the planets with the sun at one focus).
Who determined the nature of the force that kept planets in their orbits?
Isaac Newton. Strictly speaking, he said gravity was the force, but he didn't explain how it worked. Nowadays, Einstein's ideas are the best explanation we have of what gravity is.
Why asteroid is said to be a planet?
A planet used to be defined as an object that orbits the Sun. Asteroids orbit the Sun, so are planets. Recently The definition of Planet has been revised so that they are not considered planets any more. (The redefinition has lead to Pluto no-longer being a planet too.)
What planet is 100 million miles from earth?
Venus. Edit: It's been said many times, but the distances between Earth and other planets vary as they move in their different orbits. The "outer planets" are so far away they never get as close as 100 million miles from Earth.
What did Kepler discover about the shapes of the planets' orbits?
He discovered that they were not perfect circles. Also, he was pretty good a math, and devised what are known as "Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion," by which you can predict the movement of the planets based on their orbital distances and speeds.He worked out that the planets revolve round the Sun in elliptical orbits, with the Sun at one of the two foci.
Kepler used Brahe's observations to show that the orbits of the planets are?
Johannes Kepler said that IF the planetary orbits are elliptical,THEN that would explain the measurements that Tycho Brahespent his whole life collecting.Isaac Newton said that IF gravity works the way he thought it does,THEN the planetary orbits have to be elliptical.But neither Kepler nor Newton could ever say that the orbits are REALLY ellipses.Both of their statements are 'only theories', just like the theory of evolution.They have never been proven.
Is it true that the orbits of Pluto and Neptune overlap each other at times?
Despite the fact that Pluto and Neptune temporarily change places in their distance from the Sun, they will never collide. This is due to two reasons: First, Pluto's orbit is inclined to the ecliptic by 17 degrees. So even though we say their orbits "cross," Pluto is actually quite a distance "above" Neptune. Secondly, Pluto orbits the Sun twice for every three orbits of Neptune. The two planets are said to be in a "resonance orbit." For such orbits, the two bodies never get close to each other. In fact, the closest the two planets come to each other is 2 billion kilometers.
