Question
What is a retrograde orbit?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
A retrograde orbit is an orbit in which an object moves in the opposite direction to the rotation of the body it is orbiting. In most cases, celestial bodies such as planets and moons rotate counterclockwise when viewed from above their North Pole. A retrograde orbit would mean that the object orbits clockwise when viewed from the same perspective.
Retrograde orbits can be observed in various celestial systems. For example, some moons of planets, including certain outer moons of Jupiter and Saturn, have retrograde orbits. Additionally, some artificial satellites can be placed in retrograde orbits around Earth. The dynamics of these orbits can be quite different from prograde orbits (those that move in the same direction as the rotation), affecting factors like stability, energy requirements for orbital changes, and interactions with other celestial bodies.
Retrograde orbits can be observed in various celestial systems. For example, some moons of planets, including certain outer moons of Jupiter and Saturn, have retrograde orbits. Additionally, some artificial satellites can be placed in retrograde orbits around Earth. The dynamics of these orbits can be quite different from prograde orbits (those that move in the same direction as the rotation), affecting factors like stability, energy requirements for orbital changes, and interactions with other celestial bodies.