Astrophysics (Index)About

conic section

(orbit shapes, like the intersection of a plane and cone)

Conic section is a term for a set of shapes or curves that happen to describe the shape of orbits and interactions between two objects interacting with a force proportional to their distance-of-separation squared (e.g., gravity, or the attractive electric force), and can be described by equations consisting of second degree polynomials (i.e., with up to square terms). These shapes or curves happen to match those created by the intersection of a plane with a cone (i.e., conic section).

Points and lines are also special cases, which correspond to two objects attached by gravity, and to an object dropping straight into another.


(mathematics,orbits,geometry)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conic_section
https://mathworld.wolfram.com/ConicSection.html
https://math.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Calculus/Calculus_(OpenStax)/11%3A_Parametric_Equations_and_Polar_Coordinates/11.05%3A_Conic_Sections
http://math2.org/math/algebra/conics.htm

Referenced by pages:
eccentricity (e)
gravity assist
Kepler's laws
Keplerian orbit
liquid mirror telescope
orbital element
Oumuamua
semi-major axis (a)

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