answersLogoWhite

0

Astronauts on a space shuttle mission can see planet Earth below. They see

different parts of Earth as the shuttle goes around the planet. The shuttle is in

orbit above Earth. An orbit is a curved path going around something in space.

WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ORBIT IN SPACE?

The Moon orbits Earth. Space shuttles and artificial satellites also orbit Earth.

Spacecraft sent to explore distant planets sometimes go into orbit. A spacecraft

orbits a planet and takes pictures and measurements.

Everything in our solar system orbits around the Sun. All the planets orbit the Sun.

Pieces of rock called asteroids orbit the Sun. Balls of ice and rock called comets

orbit the Sun. Moons orbit planets, which orbit the Sun.

Our Sun is a star in the Milky Way Galaxy. A galaxy is a group of stars. All the stars

in the Milky Way orbit the center of the Galaxy.

HOW ARE ORBITS SHAPED?

Technically, an orbit could be shaped like a circle, but none ever is. Closed orbits

are always oval-shaped like a racetrack. Planets, asteroids, and comets in our

solar system have oval-shaped orbits. Another name for the oval shapes of orbits

is ellipse.

Some orbits are bigger ovals than others. The bigger the oval, the longer it takes

something to orbit the Sun. It takes Earth one year, or 365 days, to go around the

Sun. It takes Pluto 248 years to orbit the Sun. Pluto has an orbit that takes it very

far from the Sun.

Most comets orbit the Sun in huge oval paths. Sometimes the orbital paths of

these comets take them close to the Sun in the center of our solar system.

Sometimes their paths take them out to the edge of our solar system.

HOW DO SATELLITES ORBIT EARTH?

Weather satellites, communications satellites, and other types of satellites take

different paths around Earth. Some satellites orbit directly above Earth's equator.

The equator is an imaginary line around the middle of the planet. The orbits of

other satellites take them over the North and South poles.

Some communications satellites orbit at the same speed that Earth turns. They

look like they are not moving. A satellite has to move at just the right speed to

stay in its orbit above Earth.

WHAT KEEPS THINGS IN ORBIT?

The force of gravity holds satellites, moons, planets, and stars in orbit. Gravity is a

force that pulls two things together. When you throw a ball up in the air, Earth's

gravity pulls it back down to the ground. The bigger something is, the stronger is

its force of gravity.

The Sun is very large and its gravity pulls on planets and everything else in the

solar system. The Sun's gravity makes the planets travel in a curved path around

the Sun. Earth's gravity holds the Moon and artificial satellites in curved paths

around Earth.

When a spacecraft goes fast enough, it can overcome the pull of Earth's gravity.

Rockets can make spacecraft move fast enough to head toward distant planets.

Sometimes satellites in low orbits around Earth slow down. This happens when the

satellites brush against faint wisps of air. Earth's gravity pulls slow-moving

satellites down. The satellites fall toward Earth. Sometimes the satellites burn up

in the air. Sometimes the satellites crash into the ocean

ANSWERED BY- BISHAV ADHIKARI

FROM-NEPAL

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

What else can I help you with?