Synchronous orbit
Encyclopedia
A synchronous orbit is an orbit
in which an orbiting body (usually a satellite
) has a period equal to the average rotational period of the body being orbited (usually a planet), and in the same direction of rotation as that body.
ial and circular
will appear to be suspended motionless above a point on the orbited planet's equator. For synchronous satellites orbiting Earth
, this is also known as a geostationary orbit
. However, a synchronous orbit need not be equatorial; nor circular. A body in a non-equatorial synchronous orbit will appear to oscillate north and south above a point on the planet's equator, while a body in an elliptical
orbit will appear to oscillate eastward and westward. As seen from the orbited body the combination of these two motions produces a figure-8 pattern called an analemma
.
that is circular and lies in the equatorial plane is called a geostationary orbit
. The more general case, when the orbit is inclined to the Earth's equator or is non-circular is called a geosynchronous orbit
. The corresponding terms for synchronous orbits around the planet Mars
are areostationary
and areosynchronous
orbits.
's moon Charon
. Much more commonly, synchronous orbits are employed by artificial satellites used for communication, such as geostationary satellites.
For natural satellites, which can attain a synchronous orbit only by tidally locking
their parent body, it always goes in hand with synchronous rotation
of the satellite. This is because the smaller body becomes tidally locked faster, and by the time a synchronous orbit is achieved, it has had a locked synchronous rotation for a long time already.
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...
in which an orbiting body (usually a satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
) has a period equal to the average rotational period of the body being orbited (usually a planet), and in the same direction of rotation as that body.
Properties
A satellite in a synchronous orbit that is both equatorEquator
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....
ial and circular
Circle
A circle is a simple shape of Euclidean geometry consisting of those points in a plane that are a given distance from a given point, the centre. The distance between any of the points and the centre is called the radius....
will appear to be suspended motionless above a point on the orbited planet's equator. For synchronous satellites orbiting 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...
, this is also known as a geostationary orbit
Geostationary orbit
A geostationary orbit is a geosynchronous orbit directly above the Earth's equator , with a period equal to the Earth's rotational period and an orbital eccentricity of approximately zero. An object in a geostationary orbit appears motionless, at a fixed position in the sky, to ground observers...
. However, a synchronous orbit need not be equatorial; nor circular. A body in a non-equatorial synchronous orbit will appear to oscillate north and south above a point on the planet's equator, while a body in an elliptical
Ellipse
In geometry, an ellipse is a plane curve that results from the intersection of a cone by a plane in a way that produces a closed curve. Circles are special cases of ellipses, obtained when the cutting plane is orthogonal to the cone's axis...
orbit will appear to oscillate eastward and westward. As seen from the orbited body the combination of these two motions produces a figure-8 pattern called an analemma
Analemma
In astronomy, an analemma is a curve representing the angular offset of a celestial body from its mean position on the celestial sphere as viewed from another celestial body relative to the viewing body's celestial equator...
.
Nomenclature
Like many orbital terms synchronous orbits take on special names depending on the body being orbited. The following are some of the more common names. A synchronous orbit about the EarthEarth
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...
that is circular and lies in the equatorial plane is called a geostationary orbit
Geostationary orbit
A geostationary orbit is a geosynchronous orbit directly above the Earth's equator , with a period equal to the Earth's rotational period and an orbital eccentricity of approximately zero. An object in a geostationary orbit appears motionless, at a fixed position in the sky, to ground observers...
. The more general case, when the orbit is inclined to the Earth's equator or is non-circular is called a geosynchronous orbit
Geosynchronous orbit
A geosynchronous orbit is an orbit around the Earth with an orbital period that matches the Earth's sidereal rotation period...
. The corresponding terms for synchronous orbits around the planet Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
are areostationary
Areostationary orbit
An areostationary orbit is a circular areosynchronous orbit in the Martian equatorial plane about above the surface, any point on which revolves about Mars in the same direction and with the same period as the Martian surface...
and areosynchronous
Areosynchronous orbit
Areosynchronous orbits are class of synchronous orbits for artificial satellites around the planet Mars. As with all synchronous orbits, an areosynchronous orbit has an orbital period equal in length to Mars' sidereal day...
orbits.
Examples
An astronomical example is PlutoPluto
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 moon Charon
Charon (moon)
Charon is the largest satellite of the dwarf planet Pluto. It was discovered in 1978 at the United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station. Following the 2005 discovery of two other natural satellites of Pluto , Charon may also be referred to as Pluto I...
. Much more commonly, synchronous orbits are employed by artificial satellites used for communication, such as geostationary satellites.
For natural satellites, which can attain a synchronous orbit only by tidally locking
Tidal locking
Tidal locking occurs when the gravitational gradient makes one side of an astronomical body always face another; for example, the same side of the Earth's Moon always faces the Earth. A tidally locked body takes just as long to rotate around its own axis as it does to revolve around its partner...
their parent body, it always goes in hand with synchronous rotation
Synchronous rotation
In astronomy, synchronous rotation is a planetological term describing a body orbiting another, where the orbiting body takes as long to rotate on its axis as it does to make one orbit; and therefore always keeps the same hemisphere pointed at the body it is orbiting...
of the satellite. This is because the smaller body becomes tidally locked faster, and by the time a synchronous orbit is achieved, it has had a locked synchronous rotation for a long time already.
See also
- Subsynchronous orbitSubsynchronous orbitA subsynchronous orbit is an orbit of a satellite that is nearer the planet than it would be if it were in synchronous orbit, i.e. the orbital period is less than the sidereal day of the planet. An Earth satellite that is in subsynchronous orbit will appear to drift eastward as seen from the...
- Supersynchronous or Graveyard orbit
- Synchronous rotationSynchronous rotationIn astronomy, synchronous rotation is a planetological term describing a body orbiting another, where the orbiting body takes as long to rotate on its axis as it does to make one orbit; and therefore always keeps the same hemisphere pointed at the body it is orbiting...
- Sun-synchronous orbitSun-synchronous orbitA Sun-synchronous orbit is a geocentric orbit which combines altitude and inclination in such a way that an object on that orbit ascends or descends over any given point of the Earth's surface at the same local mean solar time. The surface illumination angle will be nearly the same every time...
- List of orbits