orbit

Loop around another

An orbit is the curved path one object takes around another in space—Earth's orbit around the sun, the moon's orbit around Earth.

By extension, anything that moves in a circular path orbits: satellites orbiting the planet, electrons orbiting a nucleus.

Figuratively, orbit describes a sphere of influence or activity: She moves in elite social orbits.

To be in someone's orbit is to be within their sphere of influence.

The eye socket is also called an orbit.

spacecraft

satellite

Orbiting celestial body

stationFixed stopping point
SputnikFirst orbital spacecraft
geostationaryFixed above one point

GPS · telemetry · payload · launchpad · rocket · spacecraft · spaceflight · docking · rendezvous · reentry

celestial

planet

Star-orbiting spherical body

satelliteOrbiting celestial body
moonNatural planetary satellite
cometIcy orbiting body

asteroid · ellipse · trajectory · period · inclination · eccentricity · apogee · perigee · perihelion · aphelion

physics

gravity

Mutual mass attraction

massQuantity of matter
velocityDirected rate of motion
accelerationRate velocity changes

momentum · centripetal · freefall · escape · period · inertia · force · Newton · mechanics · perturbation

sphere

influence

Power to affect others

domainArea of control
realmGoverned territory or sphere
rangeExtent of variation

scope · circle · ambit · reach · purview · jurisdiction · province · territory · control · power

anatomy

eye

Organ of sight

socketHollow receiving cavity
skullHead's bone casing
boneHard skeletal tissue

ridge · cavity · rim · frontal · ocular · eyeball · brow · periorbital · infraorbital

Categories

astronomystars, moon, sun, planet, planets
outer spacesun, moon, planet, star system, solar system
physicsphysics, momentum, atom, acceleration, gravity
solar systemsun, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn
spacespace, sun, moon, stars, star
globalworldwide, global, international, universal, planetary

Opposites

path geometry

orbitstraight line

Undeviated continuous path

linear path · beeline · tangent · deviation · eccentricity

orbital status

Exit orbital trajectory

reentry · crash · impact · descent · landing

motion pattern

State of inactivity

stillness · rest · stationary · perturbation · drift

Phrases

orbital tiltAngle of rotational axis
lunar orbitPath around Earth's satellite
Earth orbitPath around our planet
orbital sanderPower tool spinning abrasive
heliocentric orbitRevolution around the sun
satellite orbitsPaths spacecraft follow around bodies

Family

orb, orbiting, transorbital, orbits, exorbitant, orbited, orbital, orbiter, orbicular

Familiarity: Top 20,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G