Eccentricity: Difference between revisions
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==Definition== | ==Definition== | ||
Any orbit in planetary dynamics can be assumed to be of conic cross-section shape. The '''eccentricity''' of this conic section, the | Any orbit in planetary dynamics can be assumed to be of conic cross-section shape. The '''eccentricity''' of this conic section, the orbit's eccentricity, is an important parameter of the orbit that defines its absolute shape. Eccentricity may be interpreted as a measure of how much this shape deviates from a circle.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Orbital_eccentricity Wikipedia article on eccentricity.]</ref> | ||
Eccentricity (<math>e\,\!</math>) is strictly defined for all [[circular orbit|circular]], [[elliptic orbit|elliptic]], [[parabolic orbit|parabolic]] and [[hyperbolic orbit|hyperbolic]] orbits and may take following values: | Eccentricity (<math>e\,\!</math>) is strictly defined for all [[circular orbit|circular]], [[elliptic orbit|elliptic]], [[parabolic orbit|parabolic]] and [[hyperbolic orbit|hyperbolic]] orbits and may take following values: | ||
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*for [[parabolic orbit]]s: <math>e=1\,\!</math>, | *for [[parabolic orbit]]s: <math>e=1\,\!</math>, | ||
*for [[hyperbolic orbit]]s: <math>e>1\,\!</math>. | *for [[hyperbolic orbit]]s: <math>e>1\,\!</math>. | ||
==References== | |||
<references/> | |||
[[category:Orbital Mechanics]] | [[category:Orbital Mechanics]] | ||
Revision as of 22:03, 6 October 2007
Definition
Any orbit in planetary dynamics can be assumed to be of conic cross-section shape. The eccentricity of this conic section, the orbit's eccentricity, is an important parameter of the orbit that defines its absolute shape. Eccentricity may be interpreted as a measure of how much this shape deviates from a circle.[1]
Eccentricity () is strictly defined for all circular, elliptic, parabolic and hyperbolic orbits and may take following values:
- for circular orbits: ,
- for elliptic orbits: ,
- for parabolic orbits: ,
- for hyperbolic orbits: .