Question

According to Kepler, planets move in

• A. circular orbits around the Sun.
• B. elliptical orbits around the Sun with exact centre.
• C. in straight lines with constant velocity.
• D. elliptical orbits around the Sun with Sun at one of its foci.

Answer 1

The correct option is D elliptical orbits around the Sun with Sun at one of its foci.

Kepler's first law of planetary motion states that all planets move around the Sun in elliptical orbits, with the Sun at one focus of the ellipse.

So, each planet in our solar system orbits the Sun on an elliptical path and it’s distance from the Sun varies regularly from maximum to minimum and back again with each round trip.

According to the astronomers, the point of the orbit where the distance is a maximum is called aphelion, and the point where the distance is a minimum is called perihelion.