orbit
Quick Summary
In astronomy and physics, an orbit is the path a celestial body takes around another body due to gravity. Johannes Kepler's laws, derived in the early 17th century, describe these motions.12
Kepler's three laws state:
* First Law: Planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus.2
* Second Law: A line connecting a planet to the Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal times.2
* Third Law: The square of a planet's orbital period is proportional to the cube of its average distance from the Sun.2
Isaac Newton later expanded on these laws with his law of universal gravitation, explaining that any two objects with mass attract each other. Celestial mechanics applies these principles of classical mechanics to understand the motion of celestial bodies.34
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