1. What is the Eccentricity of Elliptical Orbit?

The Eccentricity of Elliptical Orbit is a measure of how stretched or elongated the orbit's shape is. It quantifies the deviation of the orbit from a perfect circle, where an eccentricity of 0 represents a circular orbit and values approaching 1 represent highly elongated elliptical orbits.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the eccentricity formula:

Where:

• \( e \) — Eccentricity of Elliptical Orbit (dimensionless)
• \( d_{foci} \) — Distance between two foci (meters)
• \( a_e \) — Semi major axis of elliptic orbit (meters)

Explanation: The eccentricity is calculated by dividing the distance between the two foci by twice the semi-major axis length. This ratio determines how "oval-shaped" the elliptical orbit is.

3. Importance of Eccentricity Calculation

Details: Calculating orbital eccentricity is crucial for understanding orbital mechanics, predicting satellite trajectories, analyzing planetary orbits, and designing space missions. It helps determine orbital stability, energy requirements, and orbital period.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the distance between two foci and the semi-major axis in meters. Both values must be positive numbers greater than zero for accurate calculation.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the range of possible eccentricity values?
A: Eccentricity values range from 0 (perfect circle) to values approaching 1 (highly elongated ellipse). A value of 1 represents a parabolic orbit.

Q2: How does eccentricity affect orbital velocity?
A: Objects in elliptical orbits travel faster when closer to the focus (periapsis) and slower when farther away (apoapsis), following Kepler's second law.

Q3: What are some real-world examples of different eccentricities?
A: Planetary orbits in our solar system have low eccentricities (near circular), while comets often have highly eccentric orbits. Earth's orbit has an eccentricity of about 0.0167.

Q4: Can eccentricity be greater than 1?
A: For elliptical orbits, eccentricity is always less than 1. Values greater than 1 indicate hyperbolic orbits (unbound trajectories).

Q5: How is eccentricity related to orbital energy?
A: For a given semi-major axis, higher eccentricity means the orbit has more kinetic energy at periapsis and more potential energy at apoapsis, but the total orbital energy remains constant.