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Any object in an elliptical orbit - this would include every planet and natural satellite - is moving fastest when it is closest to the "primary object" around which it orbits; the Sun in the case of the planets, and each planet in the case of a moon.

The Earth reaches perihelion, its closest point of approach to the Sun, on January 4 each year, so that's the day at which the Earth is moving fastest in its orbit.

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Which planet has the smallest orbit and the largest orbit?

The plane with the smallest orbit is Mercury, and the planet with the largest orbit is Neptune.


Which planet has an oblique elliptical orbit?

Pluto has the most oblique orbit. All the planets have elliptical orbits, however Mercury has the most elliptical orbit since Pluto is now considered a dwarf planet. This information is provided by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and available online [see related links].


What element is named after the third most distant planet?

The third most distant planet from the sun is Earth. It orders from Mercury, Venus and then Earth. The answer would then be Tellurium.The planets that orbit the sun are constantly moving in orbit and therefore getting closer and further apart from each other. Therefore, the third most distant planet from the Earth is changing as the years pass.For a complete list of elements named after planets, seehttp://wiki.answers.com/What_elements_are_named_after_a_planet


Which planet in the solar system has an orbit so eccentric that it crosses the orbit of another planet?

Mercury has the most eccentric orbit in our solar system, and it occasionally crosses the orbit of Venus. Its elliptical path also brings it close to the Sun, resulting in extreme temperature variations on the planet's surface.


Which planet has most elliptical orbit?

Mercury has the most elliptical orbit among the planets in our solar system. Its orbit is significantly elongated, with the eccentricity of 0.2056, which means that it deviates the most from a perfect circle compared to other planets.

Related Questions

Why was Mercury given it's name?

In Greek mythology, Mercury was the messanger of the Gods, moving rapidly from place to place performing his functions. The planet Mercury has been known to people from ancient times and appears to be the most rapidly moving of the planets. Since the planets were named for the gods, the connection with a rapidly moving god caused the planet to be named Mercury.


When does Neptune orbit the Sun fastest?

Neptune orbits the Sun (as do most planets) with an elliptical orbit. When the orbit takes the planet closest to the Sun it is moving faster than when it is furthest from the Sun when on an elliptical orbit.


Which planet has the smallest orbit and the largest orbit?

The plane with the smallest orbit is Mercury, and the planet with the largest orbit is Neptune.


Why some scientists have classified Pluto as dwarf planet not as normal planet?

They classified it as a dwarf planet because it has not cleared its neighborhood. This refers to the other objects that share space with Pluto while it is moving through the Kuiper Belt. Pluto's orbit is distinct from Neptune's orbit, but because of the eccentricity of Pluto's orbit (the degree to which it resembles an oval) it is sometimes within Neptune's orbit and most of the time far outside of it.


What shape does an orbit take?

It varies from planet to planet. But most planets including our own, orbit the star in an elliptical motion.


When does the earth moves most rapidly around its orbit?

The earth moves most rapidly in its orbit around the sun at perihelion, when it is closest to the sun. That occurs some time during the first few days of January.


Which planet has an oblique elliptical orbit?

Pluto has the most oblique orbit. All the planets have elliptical orbits, however Mercury has the most elliptical orbit since Pluto is now considered a dwarf planet. This information is provided by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and available online [see related links].


What planet has the most unusual and highly elliptical orbit which causes it to move inside another planet's orbit every 248 years?

You are thinking of Pluto. Pluto is now designated a minor planet.


Which planet takes the most time to orbit the sun?

PLUTO


He planet that moves most slowly along its orbit is?

pluto... :)


What planet takes the most to orbit the sun?

Neptune. It would be Pluto, but Pluto is a dwarf planet ( a planet that was a planet, but decided that it wasn't a planet)


Which planet take the most time to orbit the sun?

Planet Neptune takes the most time to orbit the sun, as it is the farthest away.