Question

Which statements accurately describe the shape of Earth’s orbit around the Sun? Check all that apply.

The Earth’s orbit is a perfect circle.
The Earth’s orbit is a nearly circular ellipse.
The Earth’s orbit is an extremely elongated ellipse.
The Sun is located at the only focus point.
The Sun is located at one of the two focal points.

Answer 1

2. The Earth’s orbit is a nearly circular ellipse.

5. The Sun is located at one of the two focal points.

These are the two correct answers.

Answer 2

The Earth’s orbit is a nearly circular ellipse.
The Sun is located at one of the two focal points.

The Earth moves around the Sun in an orbit that is almost but not quite circular. As Kepler proved in the seventeenth century, the orbit is actually an ellipse. A parameter called the eccentricity (e) defines the degree of departure from a circle. A value of e=0 would indicate a circle whereas a value of e=0.9 would indicate a very elongated ellipse. The eccentricity of the Earth's orbit is currently e=0.0167.