Why does the Earth have an eliptical orbit?Is it due to its ununiform motion?

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Why does the Earth have an eliptical orbit?Is it due to its ununiform motion?

2007-05-27 03:15:23 · 4 answers · asked by goring 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space

4 answers

All the planets and satellites have elliptical orbits. Kepler's First Law you know.

2007-05-27 04:38:38 · answer #1 · answered by styx 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋

Just the way it happened. Think of comets - they keep falling toward the sun - passing it - slowing down - turning around - falling again - eliptical orbit. It would be pretty coincidental that an orbit were exactly circular - like a satellite.

2007-05-27 10:20:34 · answer #2 · answered by Moondog 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋

That's the orbit it was formed in. There are very few natural occurences of circular orbits.

2007-05-27 10:18:07 · answer #3 · answered by Gene 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋

a perfect circular orbit is impossible

2007-05-27 10:18:24 · answer #4 · answered by Samantha 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋