What shape describes earth's orbit around the sun?

Answer 1

All orbits are conic sections. Repetitive orbits (e.g. earth's and other planet's orbits around the sun) are a type of conic section called an ellipse. One time pass orbits (e.g. some comets) are one of two other types of conic sections called either parabolic or hyperbolic.

Answer 2

The planets' orbits are all elliptical but in fact the orbits are nearly circular, with the Sun displaced from the center of the circle.

The Earth's orbit is virtually a circle with a radius of 149.6 million km and the Sun 2.5 million km off-center. The minor axis of the ellipse is only 0.014% smaller than the major axis. So if the major axis were 10 inches, the minor axis would be 1.4 thousandths of an inch smaller.

Answer 3

The Earth orbits the sun in an elliptical shape. All planetary orbits are elliptical in shape, with some being more extreme than others.

Answer 4

The earth travels around the sun in an elliptical orbit. The semi-major axis is 149,598,261 km, and the aphelion is 152,098,232 km. The perihelion is 147,098,290 kilometers.

Answer 5

Ellipse

The Shape of Earths orbit around the sun is an ellipse.

An ellipse that very close to being a circle.
Earth's orbit around the Sun is an ellipse.

Answer 6

The orbits are elliptical. Close to circular, but like the circle was squeezed out of shape

Answer 7

an elyptical

Answer 8

Not circular, but oval-shaped.

Answer 9

oaval