Calculate Various Planetary Motion Parameters

Kepler-second-law.gif

Kepler laws diagram.svg

According to Kepler's First Law, The orbit of every planet is an ellipse with the sun at one of the two foci. According to Kepler's Second Law, A line joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time. According to Kepler's Third Law, The ratio of the square of an object's orbital period with the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit is the same for all objects orbiting the same primary.

Source: Wikipedia



Calculation of lengths of semi-major axis (a) and semi-minor axis (b) from rmin and rmax

rmin : distance from sun at perihelion (minimum distance)

rmax : distance from sun at aphelion (maximum distance)

Enter the value of rmax :

Enter the value of rmin :


Value of a (in the same unit as of rmax and rmin):

Value of b (in the same unit as of rmax and rmin):



Calculation of value of Orbital Time Period from a

a : length of semi-major axis of the orbit

Please enter the value of a in AU

1 AU = 1.496*1011 m

Enter the value of a :


Value of Orbital Time Period (in Earth years):



Calculation of value of Areal Velocity from a, b and T

a : length of semi-major axis of the orbit

b : length of semi-minor axis of the orbit

T : orbital time period

Enter the value of a :

Enter the value of b :

Enter the value of T :


Value of Areal Velocity (in unit corresponding to that of a, b, T):



Solar system orbital period vs semimajor axis.svg

Source: Wikipedia