Act+3+Orbits

Kepler's laws page E31: The first law states that the orbit of each planet around the sun is at one focus. The second law explains that as a planet moves around the sun in its orbit, it covers equal areas in equal times. The third law states that the time a planet takes to complete one orbit is related to its average distance from the sun. Alyssa Walker

**__Think about It__**
Shayam Patel
 * The Earth's orbit around the Sun is very elliptical. It ranges from almost zero eccentricity to more elliptical with an eccentricity of .05.
 * A change in the shape of Earth's orbit could affect the weather and climate in that it could change the amount of solar radiation received by the Earth. A change in the tilt could also could change the solar radiation that each hemisphere receives.

//1.**Main Idea**:// Asteroids are rocky bodies smaller than the planets. The many craters on the moon, mercury, mars, and the moons of the outer planets are evidence of asteroids. //**Details**://Asteroids are leftovers from the formation of the solar system. Asteroids orbit the sun in a very elliptical orbit with an inclination of up to 30 degrees. Most are in the region between Jupiter and Mars called "the Asteroid Belt." -Allyson Fancher
 * __Digging Deeper (pg. E41-45):__**

__**Digging Deeper (pg. E32)**__ //Axial Tilt// //**Main Idea:**// The Earth's axis of rotation is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees to the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun. //**Details:**// The axial tilt varies from 22.1 degrees to 24.5 degrees. The greater the angle of the tilt, the greater the distance in solar energy and temperature. Alianna Lewis this is a picture of Precession. the wobble of the Earth's axis. The precession is caused by the differences in gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun on the Earth. It takes 25,725 years for the wobble to complete one cycle. As it wobbles the time of the seasons change. -Amani

__**Digging Deeper 2column Notes (continued)**__ -Antoneta Cici
 * Main Idea:** Precession is the wobble of the Earth's axis caused by differences in the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun on th Earth.
 * Details:** As the wobbling occurs the timing of the seasons changes. The precession of the Earth's axis is one part of the precession cycle.

-Carter Gentry
 * __Digging Deeper__**
 * Main Idea:** Inclination is the tilt degree of a planet or other object orbiting the sun.
 * Details:** The angle between the orbital plane of the solar system and the actual orbit of an object around the sun. For example, Pluto's path around the Sun is inclined 17.1 degrees from the plane described by the Earth's motion around the Sun.

Details: I drew a picture of a circle and an equal sign and a stick figure of me to resemble the distance (see amanis picture) -Kori Stephens __**Check Your Understanding**__ The eccentricity of an ellipse is the shape. The more flattened the ellipse is the greater it's eccentricity. - Kira Turner
 * __Digging Deeper__**
 * Main Idea:** Eccentricity is the range from zero to the circle
 * 1. In your own words, explain what is meant by the eccentricity of an ellipse.**

__**Check your Understanding E 34**__ It greatly affects the seasons. It makes different areas of Earth make direct contact with the Suns rays at different times of the year. This makes the distribution of heat throughout Earth uneven, and different every year. - Josh Branker
 * 3. How does the precession of the Earth's axis of rotation affect the seasons? Justify your answer.**

4. //Why is there a danger that a large asteroid might strike the Earth at some times in the future?// There is a danger that a large asteroid might strike the Earth in the future because we are pretty close to the asteroid belt. The asteroid belt is located in between Mars and Jupiter. Mars is close to earth so a asteroid might fly off orbit and travel to the planet Earth. -David Menses
 * __Check You Understanding Pg E34__**


 * __Digging Deeper__**
 * Main Idea:** Inclination is the angle between the orbital plane of the solar system and the actual orbit of an object around the sun.
 * Details:** Pluto's path around the Sun is inclined 17.1 degrees from the plane described by the Earth's motion around the Sun. This 17.1 degrees tilt is called its orbital inclination.

-Sean #swag


 * Understanding and Applying p.E35**
 * 3b. Pluto has the the least percentage variation becuase it has the lowest eccentricity.**
 * 3c. the distance to the sun relates to the eccentricity of a planet's orbit.**
 * 3d. Maybe because of the inclination or the revolution speed.- Carlos Davila**


 * (**//pictured above)// **A diagram of the rotation of planets around our sun -**Andrew Morris

__**pg E 34 Check your understanding #2**__ 2. For an ellipse with a major axis of 25 cm, which one is more eccentric; the one with a distance between the foci of 15 cm or 20cm? Explain. The one with a distance of 15cm because it has a shorter distance between the points making it more eccentric. – **Angelo Nuni**

Explain what the word 'foci' means? (Journal question) A foci is a focal point, derived from the word focus. In the investigation the book refers to two points, in relation to measuring a certain distance. In class while doing the investigation, we measured points to make ellipses to help us have a better understanding of eccentricity and the way things rotate within the solar system. In the solar system the sun is the focus point and the planets are all revolving around the sun, which again is the main focus. -Kayleah Beltran

this picture explains keeplers first, second and third laws.-Arisa Higa

The Earths axis of rotation is now tilted at an 23.5 degree to the plan of the Earths orbit around the Sun. Over a cycle lasting about 41,000 years, the axil tilt varies from 22.1 to 24.5 degrees. The greatness of the solar anergy depends on the angle of the tilt, which also includes temperatures between summer and winter. This is thought to be responsible for the Earths ice ages. -//Andrej Gavirc//
 * __Axil Tilt (PG E.32)__**

Geo Words : 1.) Eccentricity – is how circular the ellipse is. Its value ranges from zero(circle) to one( straight line). 2.) Coma – Is bright light that surrounds the top of the comet 3.) Precession – is a slow spinning motion of the Earth’s axis around a cone - Brandy Gibson

Geo Words:
 * 1) Orbital plane: A plane formed by the path around the sun.
 * 2) Inclination: The angle between the orbital plane of the solar system and the actual orbit of an object around the sun.