1. What is Orbital Period?

The orbital period is the time a given astronomical object takes to complete one orbit around another object. It applies to planets orbiting stars, moons orbiting planets, and artificial satellites orbiting celestial bodies.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion:

Where:

• \( T \) — Orbital period (seconds)
• \( a \) — Semi-major axis of the orbit (meters)
• \( G \) — Gravitational constant (6.67430 × 10⁻¹¹ m³/kg·s²)
• \( M \) — Mass of the central body (kg)

Explanation: The orbital period depends on the distance from the central mass and the mass itself. Larger distances result in longer periods, while more massive central objects result in shorter periods.

3. Importance of Orbital Period Calculation

Details: Calculating orbital periods is fundamental in astronomy, satellite deployment, and space mission planning. It helps predict celestial events and design spacecraft trajectories.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the semi-major axis in meters and the central mass in kilograms. Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Does this work for circular orbits?
A: Yes, for circular orbits the semi-major axis is simply the radius of the orbit.

Q2: What units should I use?
A: The calculator uses SI units: meters for distance and kilograms for mass.

Q3: Can I calculate Earth's orbital period around the Sun?
A: Yes, using Earth's semi-major axis (≈1.496×10¹¹ m) and Sun's mass (≈1.989×10³⁰ kg).

Q4: Why doesn't the orbiting object's mass appear in the equation?
A: The period depends only on the central mass, assuming the orbiting mass is negligible in comparison.

Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: It's perfectly accurate for two-body systems with negligible external influences.