Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Orbit
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images & Videos
Diagram showing Earth's elliptical orbit around the Sun with labeled points for aphelion, perihelion, solstices, and equinoxes, and distances from the Sun at aphelion and perihelion.
Understand how the Earth remain stable in orbit around the sun
A large tree with leaves turning orange in fall.
Planet's orbital plane in relation to the ecliptic A diagram of a planet's elliptical orbit around the Sun, labeled with key points: A for aphelion, B for perihelion, C for the center, S for the Sun, P for the planet, V for true anomaly, and E for eccentric anomaly, with lines and angles illustrating their relationships. Diagram showing types of Earth orbit categorized by inclination (equatorial, polar, inclined), shape (circular, elliptical), and altitude (low Earth, medium Earth, geostationary), with labeled illustrations of satellite paths around the planet. Diagram showing the Moon orbiting Earth, with arrows illustrating gravitational forces between them and how gravity alters the Moon's natural path, resulting in its curved orbit around the planet. PoincarƩ section, or map
Study how Earth's gravity influences the Moon in maintaining its rotation in sync, with one side forever facing Earth
Learn about Io, Jupiter's moon with the most active volcanoes in the solar system
Quizzes
View of the Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31, M31).
Astronomy and Space Quiz
The orbits of the planets and other elements of the solar system, including asteroids, Kuiper belt, Oort cloud, comet
Space Odyssey
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.
All About Astronomy
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what youā€™ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Diagram showing Earth's elliptical orbit around the Sun with labeled points for aphelion, perihelion, solstices, and equinoxes, and distances from the Sun at aphelion and perihelion.
Earth's orbit On average, Earth is approximately 149.6 million km (about 92.96 million miles) away from the Sun. Earth's orbit around the Sun is nearly circular, with one full orbit marking the period of one year.

Orbit

astronomy
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
Last updated
ā€¢History

Orbit, in astronomy, path of a body revolving around an attracting centre of mass, as a planet around the Sun or a satellite around a planet. In the 17th century, Johannes Kepler and Isaac Newton discovered the basic physical laws governing orbits; in the 20th century, Albert Einsteinā€™s general theory of relativity supplied a more exact description. The orbit of a planet is, if unaffected by the attraction of another planet, elliptical; some elliptical orbits...

Discover the world with Britannica

Subscribe to Continue Reading

Free Trial | No Ads | Exclusive Content
Explore Subscriptions
DNA
Right
Mobile