🪐 KEPLER'S LAWS
PAGE 1 OF 5 — OVAL ORBITS
NOT CIRCLES
PLANETS TRACE ELLIPSES
For centuries, many people thought planets moved in perfect circles. Johannes Kepler studied precise observations from Tycho Brahe and discovered something different. Planets orbit in ellipses, stretched-out ovals with the Sun at one focus. Sometimes a planet is closer to the Sun. Sometimes farther. The path is smooth and repeating, but it is not a simple circle. Kepler published this first law in 1609 in his book Astronomia Nova.
⭕ OVAL
An ellipse has two focal points. The Sun sits at one focus of each planetary orbit.
ELLIPSE!
1609
📜 Astronomia Nova published
🔭 Based on Tycho's data
🔭 Based on Tycho's data
FOCUS
☀️ Sun at one focal point
🪐 Planet traces oval path
🪐 Planet traces oval path