Orbital Parameters
Orbital parameters are a set of values that define the shape, size, and orientation of an object's orbit around another object in space. These parameters include the semi-major axis, eccentricity, inclination, longitude of the ascending node, argument of periapsis, and mean anomaly. The semi-major axis is the distance between the center of the orbit and the center of the object being orbited. Eccentricity describes the shape of the orbit, with circular orbits having an eccentricity of 0 and highly elliptical orbits having an eccentricity close to 1. Inclination is the angle between the plane of the orbit and the reference plane. Longitude of the ascending node is the angle between the reference direction and the point where the orbit crosses the reference plane from south to north. Argument of periapsis is the angle between the ascending node and the point of closest approach to the object being orbited. Mean anomaly is the fraction of the orbital period that has elapsed since the object passed periapsis.
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