The x-axis on this orbital graph represents time. It shows the progression of the orbit over a certain period of time.
The data points on the graph represent the position of the object in orbit at a specific time. The higher the data point, the farther away the object is from the center of its orbit. The lower the data point, the closer the object is to the center of its orbit.
The shape of the orbital graph signifies the shape of the orbit. A circular graph indicates a circular orbit, while an elliptical graph indicates an elliptical orbit.
Yes, you can determine the speed of the object by looking at the slope of the graph. A steeper slope indicates a faster speed, while a flatter slope indicates a slower speed.
The orbital graph will change over time as the object's position and speed changes. This could be due to external forces, such as gravity from other objects, or changes in the object's own velocity. The graph may also change if the object is in a decaying orbit, meaning it is slowly losing altitude and eventually will fall back to the surface of the larger object it is orbiting.