Guide To Understanding The Orbit Plots
The basic orbit plot shows an orbit of a specific minor body (minor planet or comet) as seen from both the north ecliptic pole and the ecliptic plane.The ecliptic-plane plot is shown in the upper-right corner of the image, below the object's designation and name. The viewing point is in the plane of the ecliptic, looking towards the ascending node from infinity along a line through (in order) the ascending node, the sun and the descending node. The orbit of the earth is shown as a blue line and the sun is the yellow dot. The orbit of the minor body is plotted in green.
The north ecliptic polar view is drawn as seen from a point at infinity along a line through the sun and perpendicular to the ecliptic plane. The orbits of three major planets are indicated according to the color scheme in the bottom left-hand corner of the image. The sun is the yellow dot. The orbit of the minor body is shown in green-- as a continuous line when north of the ecliptic plane and as a dotted line when south. The section of the orbit north of the ecliptic plane is filled in light grey. The ascending node is marked. The position of the perihelion is indicated by a short white line crossing and perpendicular to the orbit. The vernal equinox is to the right. In this view, objects in direct orbits (inclination less than 90 degrees) move anticlockwise (counterclockwise) .
