... to circles, Kepler, by using Tycho's superb data was able to show that Mars did not move in a circular path, but rather in an elliptical one. The shape of an ellipse is described by its long and short dimension called its major and minor axes, respectively. Kepler's discoveries of the nature of planetary motions are expressed in what are known today ... from the sun. *The above drawing is a copy of Kepler's notes on the planetary movement of Mars. The following pages are Kepler's Three laws and the explanation of what an ellipse is and its parts. ********** As for Kepler's Laws, they ha...

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• Grade Level: High School

... being tugged by more than one force, are not able to move in a circular motion. If two objects are pulling on one another, then the orbital motion must be an ellipse. In the case of our solar system, planets orbit the sun in an elliptical motion with the sun being one of the center foci that allows for the planets to ... ...

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