Ecliptic
Encyclopedia
The ecliptic is the plane of the earth's orbit around the sun. In more accurate terms, it is the intersection of the celestial sphere
with the ecliptic plane
, which is the geometric plane
containing the mean orbit
of the Earth
around the Sun
. (The ecliptic plane should be distinguished from the invariable plane of the solar system
, which is perpendicular to the vector sum of the angular momenta
of all planetary orbital planes, to which Jupiter
is the main contributor. The present ecliptic plane is inclined to the invariable plane by about 1.5°.)
The name ecliptic arises because eclipse
s occur when the full or new Moon is very close to this path of the Sun.
, the equatorial plane
is not parallel to the ecliptic plane, but makes an angle of about 23°26', which is known as the axial tilt (or obliquity of the ecliptic)
.
The intersections of the equatorial and ecliptic planes with the celestial dome are great circle
s known as the celestial equator and the ecliptic respectively.
The intersection line of the two planes results in two diametrically opposite intersection points, known as the equinox
es. The equinox that the Sun passes from south
to north
is known as the vernal equinox
or first point of Aries.
Ecliptic longitude
, usually indicated with the letter ‹λ›, is measured from this point on 0° to 360° towards the east
. Ecliptic latitude
, usually indicated with the letter ‹φ› is measured +90° to the north or -90° to the south.
The same intersection point also defines the origin of the equatorial coordinate system, named right ascension
measured from 0 to 24 hours also to the east and usually indicated with ‹α› or R.A., and declination
, usually indicated with ‹δ› also measured +90° to the north or -90° to the south. Simple rotation formulas allow a conversion from α,δ to λ,β and back (see: ecliptic coordinate system
).
, which constitutes a band of 9° on either side. Traditionally, this region is divided into 12 signs of 30° longitude each. By tradition, these signs are named after 12 of the 13 constellation
s straddling the ecliptic. The zodiac signs are very important to many astrologers.
Modern astronomers typically use other coordinate systems today.
The position of the vernal equinox is not fixed among the stars but due to the lunisolar precession slowly shifting westwards over the ecliptic with a speed of 1° per 72 years. A much smaller north/southwards shift can also be discerned (the planetary precession, along the instantaneous equator, which results in a rotation of the ecliptic plane). Said otherwise, the stars shift eastwards (increase their longitude) measured with respect to the equinoxes — in other words, as measured in ecliptic
coordinates and (often) also in equatorial
coordinates.
Using the current official IAU
constellation boundaries — and taking into account the variable precession speed and the rotation of the ecliptic — the equinoxes shift through the constellations in the years (expressed in astronomical year numbering
in which the year 0 = 1 BC, -1 = 2 BC, etc.) as follows:
's orbit and the resulting movement of Earth around the barycenter
, and due as well to the perturbing influences on the Earth's orbit by the other planets, the true Sun is not always exactly on the ecliptic for a hypothetical observer at Earth's center, but may be some arcseconds
north or south of it. It is therefore the centre of the mean Sun that outlines its path. As the Earth takes one year to make one complete revolution around the Sun, the apparent position of the Sun also takes the same length of time to make a complete circuit of the whole ecliptic. With slightly more than 365 days in the year, the Sun moves almost 1° eastwards every day (direction of increasing longitude). This annual motion should not be confused with the daily motion
of the Sun (and the stars, and indeed the whole celestial sphere for that matter) towards the west along the equator every 24 hours. In fact, where the stars need about 23h 56m for one such rotation to complete the sidereal day
, the Sun, which has shifted 1° eastwards during that time needs 4 minutes extra to complete its circle, making the solar day
about 24 hours.
The distance between Sun and Earth varies slightly during the year, so the speed with which the Sun moves along the ecliptic also varies. For example, within one year, the Sun is north of the equator for about 186.40 days and south of the equator for about 178.24 days.
The mean Sun crosses the equator around 20 March at the time of the vernal equinox, when its declination, right ascension, and ecliptic longitude are all zero. (The mean sun's ecliptic latitude is always zero.) The March equinox marks the onset of spring in the northern hemisphere and autumn in the southern. The actual date and time varies from year to year because of the occurrence of leap year
s. It also shifts slowly over the centuries due to imperfections in the Gregorian calendar
.
Ecliptic longitude 90°, at right ascension 6 hours and a northern declination equal to the obliquity of the ecliptic (23.44°), is reached around 21 June. This is the June solstice
- or summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and winter solstice in the southern hemisphere. It is also the first point of Cancer
and directly overhead on Earth on the tropic of Cancer
so named because the Sun turns around
in declination. Ecliptic longitude 180°, right ascension 12 hours is reached around 22 September and marks the second equinox or first point of Libra
. Due to perturbations to the Earth's orbit, the moment the real Sun passes the equator might be several minutes earlier or later. The southernmost declination of the sun is reached at ecliptic longitude 270°, right ascension 18 hours at the first point of the sign of Capricorn around 21 December.
These traditional signs (in western tropical astrology) have given their names to the solstices and equinoxes, but in reality (as from the list in the previous chapter) the cardinal points are currently situated in the constellations of Pisces, Taurus, Virgo and Sagittarius respectively, due to the precession of the equinoxes.
has the greatest difference from Earth's at 7° orbital inclination
; other planets' inclinations range up to 3.39°. Pluto
's, at 17°, was previously an exception until it was reclassified a dwarf planet
, and other non-planetary bodies in the Solar System
have even greater orbital inclinations (e.g. Eris
at 44° and Pallas
at 34°). Interestingly, the Earth has the most inclined orbit of all eight major planets relative to the Sun's equator, with the giant planets close behind.
The intersection line of the ecliptical plane and another planet's orbital plane is called the nodal line
of that planet, and the nodal line's intersection points on the celestial sphere are the ascending node
(where the planet crosses the ecliptic from south to north) and the diametrically opposite descending node
. Only when an inferior planet
passes through one of its nodes can a transit
over the Sun take place. Transits, especially for Venus, are quite rare, because the Earth's orbit is more inclined than those of the inner two planets.
Inclination and nodal lines, as almost all other orbital elements, change slowly over the centuries due to perturbations
from the other planets.
is inclined by about 5° to the ecliptic. Its nodal line is not fixed, but regresses (moves towards the west) over a full circle every 18.6 years. This is the cause of nutation
and lunar standstill
. The moon crosses the ecliptic about twice per month. If this happens during new moon
a solar eclipse
occurs, during full moon
a lunar eclipse
. This was the way the ancients could trace the ecliptic along the sky; they marked the places where eclipses could occur.
would be much more illustratively described by ecliptic coordinates rather than equatorial.
Also see zodiacal coordinates.
Celestial sphere
In astronomy and navigation, the celestial sphere is an imaginary sphere of arbitrarily large radius, concentric with the Earth and rotating upon the same axis. All objects in the sky can be thought of as projected upon the celestial sphere. Projected upward from Earth's equator and poles are the...
with the ecliptic plane
Plane of the ecliptic
The plane of the ecliptic is the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun. It is the primary reference plane when describing the position of bodies in the Solar System, with celestial latitude being measured relative to the ecliptic plane. In the course of a year, the Sun's apparent path through...
, which is the geometric plane
Plane (mathematics)
In mathematics, a plane is a flat, two-dimensional surface. A plane is the two dimensional analogue of a point , a line and a space...
containing the mean orbit
Orbit
In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System...
of the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
around the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
. (The ecliptic plane should be distinguished from the invariable plane of the solar system
Invariable plane
The invariable plane of a planetary system, also called Laplace's invariable plane, is the plane passing through its barycenter perpendicular to its angular momentum vector. In the Solar System, about 98% of this effect is contributed by the orbital angular momenta of the four jovian planets...
, which is perpendicular to the vector sum of the angular momenta
Angular momentum
In physics, angular momentum, moment of momentum, or rotational momentum is a conserved vector quantity that can be used to describe the overall state of a physical system...
of all planetary orbital planes, to which Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
is the main contributor. The present ecliptic plane is inclined to the invariable plane by about 1.5°.)
The name ecliptic arises because eclipse
Eclipse
An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object is temporarily obscured, either by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer...
s occur when the full or new Moon is very close to this path of the Sun.
Equator
As the rotational axis of the Earth is not perpendicular to its orbital planeOrbital plane (astronomy)
All of the planets, comets, and asteroids in the solar system are in orbit around the Sun. All of those orbits line up with each other making a semi-flat disk called the orbital plane. The orbital plane of an object orbiting another is the geometrical plane in which the orbit is embedded...
, the equatorial plane
Equator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
is not parallel to the ecliptic plane, but makes an angle of about 23°26', which is known as the axial tilt (or obliquity of the ecliptic)
Axial tilt
In astronomy, axial tilt is the angle between an object's rotational axis, and a line perpendicular to its orbital plane...
.
Great circle
A great circle, also known as a Riemannian circle, of a sphere is the intersection of the sphere and a plane which passes through the center point of the sphere, as opposed to a general circle of a sphere where the plane is not required to pass through the center...
s known as the celestial equator and the ecliptic respectively.
The intersection line of the two planes results in two diametrically opposite intersection points, known as the equinox
Equinox
An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth's equator...
es. The equinox that the Sun passes from south
Cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...
to north
Cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...
is known as the vernal equinox
Equinox
An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth's equator...
or first point of Aries.
Ecliptic longitude
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
, usually indicated with the letter ‹λ›, is measured from this point on 0° to 360° towards the east
Cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...
. Ecliptic latitude
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
, usually indicated with the letter ‹φ› is measured +90° to the north or -90° to the south.
The same intersection point also defines the origin of the equatorial coordinate system, named right ascension
Right ascension
Right ascension is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. The other coordinate is the declination.-Explanation:...
measured from 0 to 24 hours also to the east and usually indicated with ‹α› or R.A., and declination
Declination
In astronomy, declination is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. Declination in astronomy is comparable to geographic latitude, but projected onto the celestial sphere. Declination is measured in degrees north and...
, usually indicated with ‹δ› also measured +90° to the north or -90° to the south. Simple rotation formulas allow a conversion from α,δ to λ,β and back (see: ecliptic coordinate system
Ecliptic coordinate system
The ecliptic coordinate system is a celestial coordinate system that uses the ecliptic for its fundamental plane. The ecliptic is the path that the sun appears to follow across the celestial sphere over the course of a year. It is also the intersection of the Earth's orbital plane and the celestial...
).
Stars
The ecliptic serves as the center of a region called the zodiacZodiac
In astronomy, the zodiac is a circle of twelve 30° divisions of celestial longitude which are centred upon the ecliptic: the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year...
, which constitutes a band of 9° on either side. Traditionally, this region is divided into 12 signs of 30° longitude each. By tradition, these signs are named after 12 of the 13 constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
s straddling the ecliptic. The zodiac signs are very important to many astrologers.
Modern astronomers typically use other coordinate systems today.
The position of the vernal equinox is not fixed among the stars but due to the lunisolar precession slowly shifting westwards over the ecliptic with a speed of 1° per 72 years. A much smaller north/southwards shift can also be discerned (the planetary precession, along the instantaneous equator, which results in a rotation of the ecliptic plane). Said otherwise, the stars shift eastwards (increase their longitude) measured with respect to the equinoxes — in other words, as measured in ecliptic
Ecliptic coordinate system
The ecliptic coordinate system is a celestial coordinate system that uses the ecliptic for its fundamental plane. The ecliptic is the path that the sun appears to follow across the celestial sphere over the course of a year. It is also the intersection of the Earth's orbital plane and the celestial...
coordinates and (often) also in equatorial
Equatorial coordinate system
The equatorial coordinate system is a widely-used method of mapping celestial objects. It functions by projecting the Earth's geographic poles and equator onto the celestial sphere. The projection of the Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere is called the celestial equator...
coordinates.
Using the current official IAU
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
constellation boundaries — and taking into account the variable precession speed and the rotation of the ecliptic — the equinoxes shift through the constellations in the years (expressed in astronomical year numbering
Astronomical year numbering
Astronomical year numbering is based on AD/CE year numbering, but follows normal decimal integer numbering more strictly. Thus, it has a year 0, the years before that are designated with negative numbers and the years after that are designated with positive numbers...
in which the year 0 = 1 BC, -1 = 2 BC, etc.) as follows:
- The March equinox passed from TaurusTaurus (constellation)Taurus is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is a Latin word meaning 'bull', and its astrological symbol is a stylized bull's head:...
into AriesAries (constellation)Aries is one of the constellations of the zodiac, located between Pisces to the west and Taurus to the east. Its name is Latin for ram, and its symbol is , representing a ram's horns...
in year -1865, passed into PiscesPisces (constellation)Pisces is a constellation of the zodiac. Its name is the Latin plural for fish, and its symbol is . It lies between Aquarius to the west and Aries to the east...
in year -67, will pass into AquariusAquarius (constellation)Aquarius is a constellation of the zodiac, situated between Capricornus and Pisces. Its name is Latin for "water-bearer" or "cup-bearer", and its symbol is , a representation of water....
in year 2597, will pass into CapricornusCapricornusCapricornus is one of the constellations of the zodiac; it is often called Capricorn, especially when referring to the corresponding astrological sign. Its name is Latin for "horned male goat" or "goat horn", and it is commonly represented in the form of a sea-goat: a mythical creature that is half...
in year 4312. It passed along (but not into) a 'corner' of CetusCetusCetus is a constellation. Its name refers to Cetus, a sea monster in Greek mythology, although it is often called 'the whale' today. Cetus is located in the region of the sky that contains other water-related constellations such as Aquarius, Pisces, and Eridanus.-Ecliptic:Although Cetus is not...
on 0°10' distance in year 1489. - The June solstice passed from LeoLeo (constellation)Leo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for lion. Its symbol is . Leo lies between dim Cancer to the west and Virgo to the east.-Stars:...
into CancerCancer (constellation)Cancer is one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for crab and it is commonly represented as such. Its symbol is . Cancer is small and its stars are faint...
in year -1458, passed into GeminiGemini (constellation)Gemini is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It was one of the 48 constellations described by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations today. Its name is Latin for "twins", and it is associated with the twins Castor and Pollux in Greek mythology...
in year -10, passed into TaurusTaurus (constellation)Taurus is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is a Latin word meaning 'bull', and its astrological symbol is a stylized bull's head:...
in December 1989, will pass into AriesAries (constellation)Aries is one of the constellations of the zodiac, located between Pisces to the west and Taurus to the east. Its name is Latin for ram, and its symbol is , representing a ram's horns...
in year 4609. - The September equinox passed from Libra into VirgoVirgo (constellation)Virgo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for virgin, and its symbol is . Lying between Leo to the west and Libra to the east, it is the second largest constellation in the sky...
in year -729, will pass into LeoLeo (constellation)Leo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for lion. Its symbol is . Leo lies between dim Cancer to the west and Virgo to the east.-Stars:...
in year 2439. - The December solstice passed from CapricornusCapricornusCapricornus is one of the constellations of the zodiac; it is often called Capricorn, especially when referring to the corresponding astrological sign. Its name is Latin for "horned male goat" or "goat horn", and it is commonly represented in the form of a sea-goat: a mythical creature that is half...
into SagittariusSagittarius (constellation)Sagittarius is a constellation of the zodiac, the one containing the galactic center. Its name is Latin for the archer, and its symbol is , a stylized arrow. Sagittarius is commonly represented as a centaur drawing a bow...
in year -130, will pass into OphiuchusOphiuchusOphiuchus is a large constellation located around the celestial equator. Its name is from the Greek "serpent-bearer", and it is commonly represented as a man grasping the snake that is represented by the constellation Serpens. Ophiuchus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century...
in year 2269, and will pass into ScorpiusScorpiusScorpius, sometimes known as Scorpio, is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for scorpion, and its symbol is . It lies between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the east...
in year 3597.
Sun
Due to the inclination of the MoonMoon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
's orbit and the resulting movement of Earth around the barycenter
Center of mass
In physics, the center of mass or barycenter of a system is the average location of all of its mass. In the case of a rigid body, the position of the center of mass is fixed in relation to the body...
, and due as well to the perturbing influences on the Earth's orbit by the other planets, the true Sun is not always exactly on the ecliptic for a hypothetical observer at Earth's center, but may be some arcseconds
Minute of arc
A minute of arc, arcminute, or minute of angle , is a unit of angular measurement equal to one sixtieth of one degree. In turn, a second of arc or arcsecond is one sixtieth of one minute of arc....
north or south of it. It is therefore the centre of the mean Sun that outlines its path. As the Earth takes one year to make one complete revolution around the Sun, the apparent position of the Sun also takes the same length of time to make a complete circuit of the whole ecliptic. With slightly more than 365 days in the year, the Sun moves almost 1° eastwards every day (direction of increasing longitude). This annual motion should not be confused with the daily motion
Diurnal motion
Diurnal motion is an astronomical term referring to the apparent daily motion of stars around the Earth, or more precisely around the two celestial poles. It is caused by the Earth's rotation on its axis, so every star apparently moves on a circle, that is called the diurnal circle. The time for...
of the Sun (and the stars, and indeed the whole celestial sphere for that matter) towards the west along the equator every 24 hours. In fact, where the stars need about 23h 56m for one such rotation to complete the sidereal day
Sidereal time
Sidereal time is a time-keeping system astronomers use to keep track of the direction to point their telescopes to view a given star in the night sky...
, the Sun, which has shifted 1° eastwards during that time needs 4 minutes extra to complete its circle, making the solar day
Solar time
Solar time is a reckoning of the passage of time based on the Sun's position in the sky. The fundamental unit of solar time is the day. Two types of solar time are apparent solar time and mean solar time .-Introduction:...
about 24 hours.
The distance between Sun and Earth varies slightly during the year, so the speed with which the Sun moves along the ecliptic also varies. For example, within one year, the Sun is north of the equator for about 186.40 days and south of the equator for about 178.24 days.
The mean Sun crosses the equator around 20 March at the time of the vernal equinox, when its declination, right ascension, and ecliptic longitude are all zero. (The mean sun's ecliptic latitude is always zero.) The March equinox marks the onset of spring in the northern hemisphere and autumn in the southern. The actual date and time varies from year to year because of the occurrence of leap year
Leap year
A leap year is a year containing one extra day in order to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical or seasonal year...
s. It also shifts slowly over the centuries due to imperfections in the Gregorian calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
.
Ecliptic longitude 90°, at right ascension 6 hours and a northern declination equal to the obliquity of the ecliptic (23.44°), is reached around 21 June. This is the June solstice
Solstice
A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year when the Sun's apparent position in the sky, as viewed from Earth, reaches its northernmost or southernmost extremes...
- or summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and winter solstice in the southern hemisphere. It is also the first point of Cancer
Cancer (astrology)
Cancer is the fourth astrological sign in the Zodiac. It is considered a water sign and one of four cardinal signs. Cancer is ruled by the Moon. Individuals born when the Sun is in this sign are considered Cancerian individuals...
and directly overhead on Earth on the tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer, also referred to as the Northern tropic, is the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most northerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith...
so named because the Sun turns around
Tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
in declination. Ecliptic longitude 180°, right ascension 12 hours is reached around 22 September and marks the second equinox or first point of Libra
Libra (astrology)
Libra is the seventh astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Libra. In astrology, Libra is considered a "masculine", positive sign. It is also considered an air sign and is one of four cardinal signs...
. Due to perturbations to the Earth's orbit, the moment the real Sun passes the equator might be several minutes earlier or later. The southernmost declination of the sun is reached at ecliptic longitude 270°, right ascension 18 hours at the first point of the sign of Capricorn around 21 December.
These traditional signs (in western tropical astrology) have given their names to the solstices and equinoxes, but in reality (as from the list in the previous chapter) the cardinal points are currently situated in the constellations of Pisces, Taurus, Virgo and Sagittarius respectively, due to the precession of the equinoxes.
Planets
Of the eight planets, the orbital plane of MercuryMercury (planet)
Mercury is the innermost and smallest planet in the Solar System, orbiting the Sun once every 87.969 Earth days. The orbit of Mercury has the highest eccentricity of all the Solar System planets, and it has the smallest axial tilt. It completes three rotations about its axis for every two orbits...
has the greatest difference from Earth's at 7° orbital inclination
Inclination
Inclination in general is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction.-Orbits:The inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of a celestial orbit...
; other planets' inclinations range up to 3.39°. Pluto
Pluto
Pluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun...
's, at 17°, was previously an exception until it was reclassified a dwarf planet
Dwarf planet
A dwarf planet, as defined by the International Astronomical Union , is a celestial body orbiting the Sun that is massive enough to be spherical as a result of its own gravity but has not cleared its neighboring region of planetesimals and is not a satellite...
, and other non-planetary bodies in the Solar System
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
have even greater orbital inclinations (e.g. Eris
Eris (dwarf planet)
Eris, formal designation 136199 Eris, is the most massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the ninth most massive body known to orbit the Sun directly...
at 44° and Pallas
2 Pallas
Pallas, formally designated 2 Pallas, is the second asteroid to have been discovered , and one of the largest. It is estimated to constitute 7% of the mass of the asteroid belt, and its diameter of 530–565 km is comparable to, or slightly larger than, that of 4 Vesta. It is however 20%...
at 34°). Interestingly, the Earth has the most inclined orbit of all eight major planets relative to the Sun's equator, with the giant planets close behind.
The intersection line of the ecliptical plane and another planet's orbital plane is called the nodal line
Orbital node
An orbital node is one of the two points where an orbit crosses a plane of reference to which it is inclined. An orbit which is contained in the plane of reference has no nodes.-Planes of reference:...
of that planet, and the nodal line's intersection points on the celestial sphere are the ascending node
Orbital node
An orbital node is one of the two points where an orbit crosses a plane of reference to which it is inclined. An orbit which is contained in the plane of reference has no nodes.-Planes of reference:...
(where the planet crosses the ecliptic from south to north) and the diametrically opposite descending node
Orbital node
An orbital node is one of the two points where an orbit crosses a plane of reference to which it is inclined. An orbit which is contained in the plane of reference has no nodes.-Planes of reference:...
. Only when an inferior planet
Inferior and superior planets
The terms "inferior planet" and "superior planet" were originally used in the geocentric cosmology of Claudius Ptolemy to differentiate as 'inferior' those planets whose epicycle remained collinear with the Earth and Sun, compared to the 'superior' planets that did not.In the 16th century, the...
passes through one of its nodes can a transit
Astronomical transit
The term transit or astronomical transit has three meanings in astronomy:* A transit is the astronomical event that occurs when one celestial body appears to move across the face of another celestial body, hiding a small part of it, as seen by an observer at some particular vantage point...
over the Sun take place. Transits, especially for Venus, are quite rare, because the Earth's orbit is more inclined than those of the inner two planets.
Inclination and nodal lines, as almost all other orbital elements, change slowly over the centuries due to perturbations
Perturbation (astronomy)
Perturbation is a term used in astronomy in connection with descriptions of the complex motion of a massive body which is subject to appreciable gravitational effects from more than one other massive body....
from the other planets.
Moon
The orbit of the MoonMoon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
is inclined by about 5° to the ecliptic. Its nodal line is not fixed, but regresses (moves towards the west) over a full circle every 18.6 years. This is the cause of nutation
Nutation
Nutation is a rocking, swaying, or nodding motion in the axis of rotation of a largely axially symmetric object, such as a gyroscope, planet, or bullet in flight, or as an intended behavior of a mechanism...
and lunar standstill
Lunar standstill
At a major lunar standstill, which takes place every 18.6 years, the range of the declination of the Moon reaches a maximum. As a result, at high latitudes, the Moon appears to move in just two weeks from high in the sky to low on the horizon...
. The moon crosses the ecliptic about twice per month. If this happens during new moon
New moon
In astronomical terminology, the new moon is the lunar phase that occurs when the Moon, in its monthly orbital motion around Earth, lies between Earth and the Sun, and is therefore in conjunction with the Sun as seen from Earth...
a solar eclipse
Solar eclipse
As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun as viewed from a location on Earth. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. At least...
occurs, during full moon
Full moon
Full moon lunar phase that occurs when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. More precisely, a full moon occurs when the geocentric apparent longitudes of the Sun and Moon differ by 180 degrees; the Moon is then in opposition with the Sun.Lunar eclipses can only occur at...
a lunar eclipse
Lunar eclipse
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes behind the Earth so that the Earth blocks the Sun's rays from striking the Moon. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle. Hence, a lunar eclipse can only occur the night of a...
. This was the way the ancients could trace the ecliptic along the sky; they marked the places where eclipses could occur.
Star coordinates
Up to the 17th century in Europe, star maps and positions in star catalogues were always given in ecliptical coordinates, though in China, astronomers employed an equatorial system in their catalogues. It was not until astronomers started to use telescopes and mechanical clocks to measure star positions that equatorial coordinates came into use, which occurred so exclusively that nowadays ecliptical coordinates are no longer used. Nonetheless, this change is not always desirable, as a planetary conjunctionConjunction (astronomy)
Conjunction is a term used in positional astronomy and astrology. It means that, as seen from some place , two celestial bodies appear near one another in the sky...
would be much more illustratively described by ecliptic coordinates rather than equatorial.
Also see zodiacal coordinates.