A plane containing at least two masses orbiting around a common center of mass. The Earth and the Sun orbit each other in an orbital plane, as do the Earth and the Moon. However, the Earth-Moon orbital plane is tilted relative to the Earth-Sun orbital plane at a five-degree angle.
A plane containing at least two masses orbiting around a common center of gravity. Earth and Sun orbit each other in an orbital plane, as do Earth and Moon. However, the Earth-Moon orbital plane crosses the Earth-Sun orbital plane at a five-degree angle. See also: orbital period
The flat surface that would result if every point on the orbit of a body was connected to the center of its primary.
(astronomy) the plane on which a body is orbiting
Any body in orbit around another has an orbital plane. This refers to the level, or “plane†on which it circles another body. Apart from Pluto, all the planets in our Solar System orbit the Sun on the same level, and so all sit on the same orbital plane.
The plane containing the centre of mass of the earth and the velocity vector (direction of motion) of a satellite.
An imaginary plane, extending throughout space, that contains the satellite orbit.
The orbital plane of an object orbiting another is the geometrical plane in which the orbit is embedded. Three points are required to find the orbital plane: the center of the heavier object, the center of the orbiting object and the center of the orbiting object at some later time.
