Is that how the planets really orbit the sun, or are the diagrams just shown that way for visual appeal?
2007-06-14 18:11:28 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I've always wanted to know that, but i looked it up... and i think what the deal is, that all the planets orbit in almost that sort of plane... but idk...
2007-06-22 08:51:40 · answer #1 · answered by Lexington 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they all revolve more or less along the same plane... This is because the solar system formed from a giant spinning cloud of dust that formed a disk. Differences in orbital velocities of the dust particles from closest to farthest from the sun slowly started eddies in the dust clouds which condensed to planets.
2007-06-15 01:47:26 · answer #2 · answered by Moose 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
in reality the orbits are not perpendicular to the sun. we are on a wobble that only returns to an actually perpendicular plane ever couple thousand years. the next time this will happen will be dec. 21 2012. this will be the same date that the sun will complete a revolution around the galaxy and be perpendicular to the center. the mayans discovered this way back when their civilization was powerful. imagine that, a 600 year old civilization that knew this stuff.
2007-06-15 01:21:48 · answer #3 · answered by TrevaThaKilla 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They are shown in relation to their orbital plane being roughly in the same plane as the equator of Earth.
2007-06-21 17:53:50 · answer #4 · answered by johnandeileen2000 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
two things:
1) it is implied that north is "up" and south is "down" with the equator in the middle. the planet's planes of orbits are roughly along the sun's equatorial plane.
2) humans are horizontially oriented because our eyes are set side by side and not one over the other.
2007-06-15 01:19:17 · answer #5 · answered by oldguy 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They orbit the plane of the sun's greatest mass, which is at its equator. That plane is referred to as the ecliptic and you will find all planets on that plane. The diagrams are correct.
2007-06-15 01:15:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
because that is how the planets revolve around the sun. pluto revolved off this axis which is why it is not considered a planet anymore.
2007-06-15 01:15:12 · answer #7 · answered by Mandy's Mikey 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
so that the path of planets that is orbit can be noticed clearly.
2007-06-22 06:09:19 · answer #8 · answered by Ridhima 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
so they can show them in order from closest to farthest, if they didnt put it in a str8 line, ppl would get confused. they do it so even the dumbest kid can figure out that earth is closer to the sun than mars is.
2007-06-15 01:14:32 · answer #9 · answered by wolfmdogg 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋