Is Earth’s orbit far from circular?

Thread starter nukeman
Start date Oct 19, 2010
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Circular Orbit

In summary, Earth's orbit is an ellipse with an eccentricity of about 0.0167, making it only slightly elliptical and very close to being circular. This shape is influenced by the gravitational pull of other objects in the solar system, and it does play a role in determining our seasons. However, on a larger scale, Earth's orbit is relatively stable and has not significantly changed in shape over the past few million years.

Oct 19, 2010

nukeman

Of course Earth's orbit is not circular, but Is Earth’s orbit far from circular?

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Oct 20, 2010

Borek

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http://lmgtfy.com/?q=eccentricity+of+earth+orbit

1. What is the shape of Earth's orbit?

Earth's orbit is an ellipse, which is a stretched out circle. It is not a perfect circle, so it is not completely circular.

2. How far is Earth's orbit from being circular?

Earth's orbit is only slightly elliptical, so it is very close to being circular. The eccentricity, or measure of how far from a perfect circle an ellipse is, is about 0.0167. A perfect circle has an eccentricity of 0.

3. Why is Earth's orbit not perfectly circular?

Earth's orbit is influenced by the gravitational pull of other objects in the solar system, such as other planets and the sun. These forces cause Earth's orbit to slightly deviate from being perfectly circular.

4. Does the shape of Earth's orbit affect our seasons?

Yes, the shape of Earth's orbit does play a role in our seasons. The tilt of Earth's axis is the main factor in determining the seasons, but the slightly elliptical orbit also contributes. When Earth is closer to the sun in its orbit, it experiences summer in the northern hemisphere, and when it is farther away, it experiences winter.

5. Is Earth's orbit getting more circular or more elliptical over time?

Earth's orbit is constantly changing due to the gravitational pull of other objects in the solar system. However, on a larger scale, it is relatively stable and is not significantly changing in shape. The eccentricity of Earth's orbit has remained relatively constant over the past few million years.