lunar orbit
Circling the moon
Lunar orbit refers to the path an object takes as it travels around the Moon, held by lunar gravity.
Spacecraft enter lunar orbit to study the Moon's surface or prepare for landing: The module remained in lunar orbit while the lander descended.
The term also describes the Moon's own path around Earth, though "the Moon's orbit" is more common for that sense.
Distinct periods in sequence
- waxingCoating for shine
- waningGradually decreasing in intensity
- gibbousConvexly swollen shape
- crescentCurved sickle-like arc
full moon · new moon · quarter · syzygy · perigee · apogee · sidereal month · libration
Path of moving object
- Hohmann transferMinimum-energy orbital transition
- ApolloSun deity, moonshot namesake
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
- delta-vSpacecraft maneuver measurement
inclination · eccentricity · retrograde · rendezvous · docking · Artemis · command module
phases
Distinct periods in sequence
crescent · full moon · new moon · quarter · syzygy · perigee · apogee · sidereal month · libration · moonrise
trajectory
Path of moving object
- Hohmann transferMinimum-energy orbital transition
- ApolloSun deity, moonshot namesake
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
delta-v · inclination · eccentricity · retrograde · rendezvous · docking · Artemis · command module
- Moon scienceApollo program, moon rocks, moon dust, moon water, moonquakes
- orbital termsaphelion, perihelion, apogee, perigee, eccentricity
- solar systemsun, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn
- space explorationrockets, Saturn V, satellites, mission, Falcon Heavy
- spaceflightlaunch, astronaut, spacecraft, liftoff, countdown
- Moon topicsApollo missions, moon landing, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Saturn V
lunar orbitdeep space
Remote regions beyond planets
geostationary orbit · interstellar space · interplanetary space · interplanetary travel
orbit, lunar, orbiting, lunacy, orbits, orbital, luna, orbiter, lunate