Kepler’s second law of planetary motion: Quick Facts

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Also Known As	law of areas

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A diagram illustrating Kepler's second law of planetary motion, showing an elliptical orbit around the Sun with two shaded sectors representing equal areas swept by a planet in equal time intervals, labeled as one month each.

orbital elements

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Kepler’s laws of planetary motion Understanding Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion

Nicolaus Copernicus. Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer. In 1543 he published, forward proof of a Heliocentric (sun centered) universe. Coloured stipple engraving published London 1802. De revolutionibus orbium coelestium libri vi.

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