What is the difference between a geostationary and a polar orbit?

Answer 1

A geostationery orbit stays in position above a specific point on a planet's surface. A polar orbit crosses over the north and south poles of a planet's surface.

Answer 2

Quite simple really.
Geostationary means that a satellite is orbiting the earth directly over the same place all the time. This type of satellite is usually used for communications satellites.
Polar orbit means that a satellite orbits the earth over both poles as sweeps different parts of the planet on each orbit. This type of orbit is generally used by mapping satellites.

Answer 3

Geostationary is a very special orbit. It has to have zero inclination, which means the orbital path is directly over the equator all the time, and it has to be at just the right altitude so that the orbital period is 24 hours. This causes the satellite to "hover" over one spot on the Earth. Polar orbit has a 90 degree inclination and passes over the pole. It also passes over every other place on Earth at some time or other; it never hovers over one spot. It can also have any possible orbital period and be at any altitude.

Answer 4

Polar Orbit

Answer 5

the geostationary satellites have orbits parallel to the equator. such orbits are called equatorial orbits. satellites used for weatherforecast and remote sensing have orbits passing over the poles of the earth, such orbits are called polar orbits. like wise geostationary statellites are those with equtorial orbits and polar statellites are those with polar orbits.