General Question

Yellowdog's avatar

Is there a name for the imaginary / theoretical Solar plane which the planets orbit within?

Asked by Yellowdog (12216points) January 11th, 2018

I always assumed that’s why planets are called planets.

All planets orbit the sun in successive concentric rings from roughly its “equator” at distances determined by Bode’s law. But whatever tilt the sun has would determine the position of that plane in relation to other stars and the galaxy.

Is there a name for the plane which the planets orbit on/within?

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5 Answers

flutherother's avatar

All the planets of our solar system lie in the plane of the ecliptic which is the plane of the Earth’s orbit around the sun.

The word “planet” comes from a Greek word meaning “wanderer” as the planets move about in the sky in a different way from the stars.

flutherother (34832points)“Great Answer” (2points) Flag as…
LuckyGuy's avatar

It’s called the ecliptic.

LuckyGuy (43866points)“Great Answer” (2points) Flag as…
Yellowdog's avatar

Thanks to all

Yellowdog (12216points)“Great Answer” (1points) Flag as…

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