Category

Orbits

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type of gravitational orbit seen in triaxial systems

plane of reference

plane used to define orbital elements

ecliptic longitude at which an orbiting body could be found if its orbit were circular and free of perturbations. While nominally a simple longitude, in practice the mean longitude is a hybrid angle

uncertainty parameter

parameter quantifying the uncertainty of a perturbed orbital solution for a minor planet

maximum eccentricity for which a power series for Kepler's equation converges

formula to determine satellite orbital period

ecliptic longitude at which an orbiting body could actually be found if its inclination were zero

sphere of influence

oblate-spheroid-shaped region around a celestial body where the primary gravitational influence on an orbiting object is that body

near-equatorial orbit

type of orbit around an astronomical body that lies close to its equatorial plane

circumlunar trajectory

type of free-return trajectory

Orbital state vectors

spacecraft instrument that senses the direction to the Sun

Jacobi coordinates

simplification of coordinates for an n-body system

proper orbital elements

mathematical constants describing an orbit

Jacobi integral

concept in celestial mechanics

transatmospheric orbit

orbit around a celestial body with a periapsis below the atmosphere/space boundary

interplanetary transport network

collection of gravitationally determined pathways through the Solar System that require very little energy for an object to follow

characteristic energy

measure of the excess specific energy over that required to just barely escape from a massive body

Wikimedia list article

innermost stable circular orbit

smallest circular orbit in which a test particle can stably orbit a massive object in general relativity

astrodynamic equation

orbit determination

estimation of orbits of objects

Commensurability (astronomy)

proportionality of orbital periods for two celestial bodies

orbit for an artificial satellite in which natural drifting due to the central body's shape has been minimized by careful selection of the orbital parameters

supersynchronous orbit

type of orbit that is farther away from the parent body than a synchronous orbit

Equation of the center

Lambert's problem

Determine an orbit from two position vectors and the time of flight

Radial trajectory

subsynchronous orbit

type of orbit that is closer to the parent body than a synchronous orbit

Painlevé conjecture

Physical theorem

Argument of latitude

Angular parameter in celestial mechanics