Kepler's laws: Difference between revisions
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'''Kepler's laws of planetary motion''', or simply '''Kepler's laws''', are three laws stated by the German [[astronomer]] [[Johannes Kepler]]. These laws govern the motion of the | '''Kepler's laws of planetary motion''', or simply '''Kepler's laws''', are three laws stated by the German [[astronomer]] [[Johannes Kepler]]. These laws govern the motion of the [[planet]]s around the [[Sun]]. Stated briefly, the laws are:<br /> | ||
# The orbit of a planet is [[ellipse|elliptical]], with the sun at one of the two foci of the ellipse. | # The [[orbit]] of a planet is [[ellipse|elliptical]], with the sun at one of the two foci of the ellipse. | ||
# The line joining a | # The line joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal intervals of time. | ||
# The square of the | # The square of the orbital period of a planet is directly proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its (elliptical) orbit. | ||
Note that planetary orbits can be [[Circle_(mathematics)|circular]], as a circle is a special case of an ellipse. In this case, the semi-major axis is simply the radius of the circle. | |||
Revision as of 15:46, 16 January 2022
Kepler's laws of planetary motion, or simply Kepler's laws, are three laws stated by the German astronomer Johannes Kepler. These laws govern the motion of the planets around the Sun. Stated briefly, the laws are:
- The orbit of a planet is elliptical, with the sun at one of the two foci of the ellipse.
- The line joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal intervals of time.
- The square of the orbital period of a planet is directly proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its (elliptical) orbit.
Note that planetary orbits can be circular, as a circle is a special case of an ellipse. In this case, the semi-major axis is simply the radius of the circle.