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Applications of Ellipses in the Field of Astronomy

Ellipses play a crucial role in astronomy, particularly in the understanding of planetary orbits as described by Kepler's laws of planetary motion. These laws state that planets move in elliptical orbits around the sun, with specific properties related to their motion and distance from the sun. The study of ellipses not only helps describe celestial movements but also reveals the underlying order of the universe.

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2 views3 pages

Applications of Ellipses in the Field of Astronomy

Ellipses play a crucial role in astronomy, particularly in the understanding of planetary orbits as described by Kepler's laws of planetary motion. These laws state that planets move in elliptical orbits around the sun, with specific properties related to their motion and distance from the sun. The study of ellipses not only helps describe celestial movements but also reveals the underlying order of the universe.

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pyuvaneshraaj2009
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Applications of Ellipses in the field of

‘Astronomy’
In mathematics, an ellipse is a plane curve surrounding two
focal points, such that for all points on the curve, the sum of the two
distances to the focal points is a constant.
It generalizes a circle , which is the
special type of ellipse in which the two
focal points are the same. The elongation
of an ellipse is measured by its
eccentricity e, a number ranging from e =
0 (the limiting case of a circle) to e =
1(the limiting case of infinite elongation,
no longer an ellipse but a parabola).
Astronomy is the study of everything in the universe beyond
Earth's atmosphere. That includes objects we can see with our naked
eyes, like the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and the stars.
Ellipses have its applications across many fields. We shall now
see about its applications in the field of astronomy. The orbits of
planets, moons, and satellites are often elliptical.
1. Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion:
In 1609 the mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler
(1571-1630) published his famous work “Astronomia Nova seu
Physica coelestis”. In it he unfolded his calculations of the planetary
movements and the laws related to them.
It took him 5 years to determine his first exact planetary orbit,
that of Mars. First, he discovered the “law of equal areas”. He then
discovered that the orbits of Mars and the other planets were not an
epicycle, as Claudius Ptolemy (c. 90-160) and Nicolaus Copernicus
(1473-1543) had claimed, but an ellipse.
Kepler’s three laws can be formulated as follows:
1. The planets describe elliptical orbits around the sun, with the
sun in one of the foci.
2. The motion of the planets is such that the radius vector (the
line connecting the sun and the planet) covers equal areas in equal
time intervals.
3. The ratio of the square of the time of revolution (orbital
period) and the cube of the semi-major axis of the ellipse is constant
for all planets.
The laws empirically found by Kepler could be explained some
75 years later by Isaac Newton (1643-1727) using the concept of
gravity, as described in his major work “Philosophiae Naturalis
Principia Mathematica” (1687).
In addition, Newton is the discoverer of differential and integral
calculus, the necessary tool to mathematically describe planetary
motions.
2. Elliptical Orbits: The Cosmic Waltz:
The ellipse's unique properties dictate the graceful dance
of celestial bodies. Planets, comets, and even binary stars follow
elliptical paths around their gravitational centres.
This means that their motion is not a perfect circle, but a
subtly varied trajectory with a point of closest approach (perihelion
for a star or periapsis for a planet) and a point of farthest distance
(aphelion or apoapsis).

The ellipse, a simple geometric shape, acts as a universal


language in astronomy, describing the motion of celestial bodies,
guiding our understanding of planetary systems, and even revealing
the intricate dynamics of stellar evolution.
Its elegant simplicity underscores the remarkable order
that governs the vast expanse of the cosmos.

Thank You!

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