Orbitally

Orbitally is an English adverb derived from orbital, used to describe something relating to an orbit or occurring in connection with orbital motion. In scientific contexts, it typically modifies nouns to indicate dependence on an object's position along a path around a second body, or on the concept of an orbit more generally.

The term appears across disciplines including astronomy, celestial mechanics, and chemistry. In astronomy and planetary science, orbitally is used in phrases like orbitally averaged quantities, orbitally forced climate variations, and orbitally controlled trajectories. In chemistry, orbitally excited states describe electrons occupying higher-energy orbitals.

Usage patterns include that orbitally is more common in technical writing than in general prose, and it often coexists with adjectives such as averaged, driven, or excited. It is distinct from practical nouns such as "in orbit" or "orbital" but complements them in precise descriptions of orbital phenomena.

See also: orbital, orbit, orbital mechanics, orbital resonance, Milankovitch cycles.