Perihelion was Jan 4, which the closest distance Earth is to the Sun. All planets, and even comets and asteroids, have elliptical orbits around our large sun.

A recent breakthrough in satellite technology promises to revolutionize how we observe the Earth by enabling global coverage in just 35 minutes. A study published in Space: Science ...

Geosynchronous orbits are vital for communications and Earth-monitoring satellites. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. A ...

Satellites in LEO travel at speeds around 7.8 kilometres per second, which means they complete an orbit around Earth approximately every 90 minutes. As a result, the ISS orbits Earth about 16 ...

Earth reaches aphelion every July, and this year it occurs on Thursday at 3:55 p.m. Eastern time. That Earth has an aphelion is a result of its orbit being elliptical, rather than circular.

Some satellites, like GPS nodes, are launched into higher "geostationary" orbits around 18,000 miles (30,000 kilometers). This allows them to remain fixed over a specific part of the globe.

Some of these new, exotic orbits become quite stretched-out and elliptical—and, in some cases, these orbits can eventually bring these asteroids closer to Earth. When they do, “there is a ...