Geography 2090A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Solar System, Retrograde And Prograde Motion, Runaway Greenhouse Effect
29 Sep 2020
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Very eccentric means it"s a very oval orbit (seasons) *if perfect circle orbit, distance from sun never change. Orbital eccentricity: planets orbit sun in elliptical fashion or oval can vary. Orbital inclination: extent which planet is off the center of the plain (pool table) Axial tilt (rotation): rotation around the axis (day/seasons) Orbital plane: around the area of suns equator, extend out as flat plain that planets orbit. Zero inclination = on suns equator: since it started as dust cloud, everything stayed in same region there are comets/pluto that are way off the plain (high inclination) Prograde rotation: direction of rotation as ss as a whole is spinning. Planet days: earth/mars are similar (single rotation of planet, mercury spin slowly, days are longer than the year, gas giants rotate faster. Planets: orbits sun, achieve hydrostatic equilibrium (something large enough to mold into sphere, cleared out its orbit.
