Consider a comet in a long, thin elliptical orbit with a semimajor axis of one astronomical unit. What can be said about the sidereal period of this comet?
A) The sidereal period will be less than 1 year.
B) The sidereal period will be 1 year.
C) The sidereal period will be more than 1 year.
D) It is not possible to determine the comet's sidereal period without knowing the eccentricity of its orbit.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sidereal period of an object in an orbit with a semimajor axis of one astronomical unit around the Sun is 1 year, regardless of the orbit's eccentricity, according to Kepler's third law of planetary motion.

Consider a Comet in a Long, Thin Elliptical Orbit with a Semimajor