Search for Aphelion and Perihelion

[Ruark Steel]

Hello,

I am having trouble locating if there is a way to search for Earth's position to the Sun

Specifically the "Aphelion and Perihelion" of our orbit in relation to the Sun

When I pull up the search window I cant get there terms to populate in any of the tabs

Any help would be great

Thank You

[Georg Zotti]

As discussed recently, there is no such option or mark along the orbits in the main display. We compute planet positions not from Keplerian orbits but from analytic solutions which just give accurate positions, but no information about the position relative to mean apsides. You can use the AstroCalc/Graphs/Graphs tab to draw Sun's distance. 

[Ruark Steel]

Bud,

I thank you for the answer and really appreciate the reply, but I need to tell you, I would say I have preschool knowledge of this software and astronomy as a whole.

I don't even know how to generate a graph let alone read it.

If I understand part of your answer - I canNOT search for the terms "Aphelion and Perihelion"

1.) So I guess my next question would be, can I view the earths position on its orbital path and some how find the date from that?

I am just trying to get Earths orbital position to generate a date (and then see what the sky looks like at that given time)

Instead of googling a given date seeing the sky and not knowing where Earths position of orbit around the sun is.

2.) With that, how do we orient earths orbital position when looking at it from above? I have been placing the Perihelion on the right and Aphelion on the left.

3.) What is above when looking at the universe with top side view?

I am sorry if these are stupid questions, I don't understand how once you get into space you tell up from down or left from right

4.) If the top of the sun is North how do you have Universe East and West?

Thanks You anyone who can help me make heads or tails of this info

[Alexander Wolf]

Hi!

вс, 10 окт. 2021 г. в 05:35, Ruark Steel <firetr...@gmail.com>:

If I understand part of your answer - I canNOT search for the terms "Aphelion and Perihelion"

Yes, of course. You cannot search the terms "Zenith" or "Galactic Pole" also, but you may see these points within Stellarium as examples. 

 

1.) So I guess my next question would be, can I view the earths position on its orbital path and some how find the date from that?

I am just trying to get Earths orbital position to generate a date (and then see what the sky looks like at that given time)

Instead of googling a given date seeing the sky and not knowing where Earths position of orbit around the sun is.

See screenshots in the attachment, I hope it helps.

 

2.) With that, how do we orient earths orbital position when looking at it from above? I have been placing the Perihelion on the right and Aphelion on the left.

Hint: west and east side or clockwise and counterclockwise movements ;) See the second screenshot.

--

With best regards, Alexander

Phone: +7 903 957 3596

Skype: alex.v.wolf

[Martin Lewicki]

Georg

Just thinking here. While the solar system bodies' positions are generated by analytical means the positions of nodes and peri/apo can still be calculated using formal equations such as those found in Jean Meeus' Astronomical Algorithms. Surely these points could be then added to the orbital lines for peri/apo and ecliptic for nodes.

Martin

[Georg Zotti]

It is possible to define "instantaneous Kepler orbits" from the current state vector (time, position, velocity) of any planet. In case we change the orbit drawing code, these then naturally will have these points. However, please don't hold your breath now, it is not on my immediate agenda.