Thread: On the trajectory of the planet

Dear all, I have a problem as follows:

The gravitational force of the Sun is spherically symmetric. Therefore, one may naturally conclude taht the motion of the planets should also be spherically symmetric. This would only the the case if the planets moved in circles on surface of spheres. J. Kepler discovered (1609), however, that planets move in ellipses not in circles, on fixed planes not spheres, with the Sun at a focus not at the center. Explain what vialates the symmetry in the motion of plannets.

Thank you very much.

Originally Posted by xinglongdada

Dear all, I have a problem as follows:

The gravitational force of the Sun is spherically symmetric. Therefore, one may naturally conclude taht the motion of the planets should also be spherically symmetric. This would only the the case if the planets moved in circles on surface of spheres. J. Kepler discovered (1609), however, that planets move in ellipses not in circles, on fixed planes not spheres, with the Sun at a focus not at the center. Explain what vialates the symmetry in the motion of plannets.

Thank you very much.

This question seems to be very poorly worded, but planetary orbits in a two body system deviate from circular because of initial conditions.

CB