osculating orbit

noun

The orbit that an astronomical body such as a planet, asteroid, comet or satellite would follow if suddenly all perturbing forces other than the gravitational attraction of the Sun or (for a satellite) its planet were to disappear.

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Meanings

nounosculating orbit (plural osculating orbits)

plural osculating orbits

  1. The orbit that an astronomical body such as a planet, asteroid, comet or satellite would follow if suddenly all perturbing forces other than the gravitational attraction of the Sun or (for a satellite) its planet were to disappear.
Cite this entry
APA

osculating orbit. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/osculating%20orbit

MLA

“osculating orbit.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/osculating%20orbit. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “osculating orbit,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/osculating%20orbit.

Source: osculating orbit on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.