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A bodies eccentricity is a measure of how circular the orbit of that body is. Perfectly circular orbits have the lowest eccentricity, of 0, whereas orbits such as that of the dwarf planet Pluto are more eccentric.

When there are multiple large bodies in an orbit, with smaller bodies orbiting multiple of these, the eccentricities of the smaller bodies are quite high.

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14y ago
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6mo ago

In astronomy, eccentricity refers to a parameter that describes the shape of an astronomical orbit. It quantifies how elongated or stretched out an orbit is, with eccentricity values ranging from 0 (circular) to 1 (highly elliptical). An orbit with higher eccentricity deviates more from a perfect circle in its shape.

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Related questions

Which planet has an orbital eccentricity most like the orbital eccentricity of the moon?

Mercury has an orbital eccentricity most similar to the moon's orbital eccentricity, which is about 0.2056. Mercury's eccentricity is approximately 0.206.


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Eccentricity is only present in ovals and ellipses. A circle is present. The eccentricity of an oval or ellipse is how linear it is.


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The eccentricity of Psyche's orbit is 0.140


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What are some sentences for eccentricity?

"The old man's eccentricity was worrying." "Eccentricity is for the rich - the poor man is simply mad." "I am conducting a study of perceptions of eccentricity in different cultural groups." "Eccentricity should not be considered to be a negative aspect of personality, but rather a fascinating idiosyncrasy."


What orbit has the eccentricity that is closest to 0?

Circular orbit has an eccentricity of 0 as it is perfectly round.


Which planet has an orbital eccentricity most like the orbital eccentricity of the earth?

The Earths orbit is fairly un-eccentric when compared to the other planets, with only Neptune and Venus having more regular (less eccentric) orbits. The eccentricity of earths orbit is 0.0167, the closest to this is Neptune's, with a value of 0.00859


What is the formula for eccentricity?

eccentricity = distance between foci ________________ length of major axis


What will happen to the eccentricity of an ellipse as the distance between the foci increases?

the eccentricity will increase.


Is the earths eccentricity more or less eccentricity than a circle?

The Earth's eccentricity is less than that of a perfect circle. Earth's orbit around the Sun is an ellipse with an eccentricity of about 0.0167, which means it is nearly circular.


Does the earth have an orbit with a low or high eccentricity?

The Earth's orbit has a low eccentricity of about 0.0167, which means it is close to being circular.