Orbitës

Orbitës is a term used in Albanian-language astronomy to denote the paths traced by bodies under gravitational influence as they move around a central body. In English, the corresponding term is "orbits." Orbitës describe both natural motions, such as a planet orbiting a star, and artificial motions, such as a spacecraft circling a planet. The shape and duration of an orbit are determined by the initial velocity and the gravitational parameter of the central mass.

Classical celestial mechanics describes an orbit by a set of orbital elements: the semi-major axis (a), eccentricity (e), inclination (i), the longitude of the ascending node (Ω), the argument of periapsis (ω), and the true anomaly (ν). The energy and angular momentum of the moving body constrain these elements. Orbits can be circular (e = 0), elliptical (0 < e < 1), parabolic (e = 1), or hyperbolic (e > 1).

Kepler's laws provide the foundation for orbital motion: planets sweep equal areas in equal times, and the orbital period relates to the orbit size via the law of periods. In practice, orbits are subject to perturbations from other bodies and non-gravitational forces, requiring regular updates (orbit determination) and trajectory corrections (maneuvers) for spacecraft.

Common examples include Earth’s orbit around the Sun, the Moon’s orbit around Earth, and satellites in low Earth or geostationary orbits. Orbital mechanics underpins mission planning, satellite constellation design, and studies of galactic and stellar dynamics where orbits describe the motion of bodies around larger masses.