heliocentric orbit
Circling the sun
A heliocentric orbit is a path around the Sun.
Earth and the other planets follow heliocentric orbits, as do comets, asteroids, and artificial satellites that escape Earth's gravity.
The term distinguishes Sun-centered orbits from geocentric ones (around Earth) or orbits around other bodies: The spacecraft entered a heliocentric orbit after its lunar flyby.
- perihelionOrbital point nearest sun
- CopernicusRenaissance astronomer, heliocentrism
- KeplerPlanetary motion law formulator
- eclipticSun's apparent annual path
- solar systemStar and orbiting bodies
inner planets · orbital path · gravity · revolve · revolution · center of mass · around the sun · Earth · third rock · outer planets · orbital mechanics · planet · Saturn · satellite · cosmos · space age · Jupiter · trajectory
- Space Zonesouter space, deep space, exosphere, thermosphere, mesosphere
- Solar Sailssolar sail, light sail, light pressure, square sail, reflectivity