The ecliptic

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The ecliptic

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The ecliptic is the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun. It is the imaginary line in space traced by the Sun as Earth orbits around it. It is important in astronomy as it serves as a reference plane for defining the positions of the planets in our solar system. A solar or lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align with the Moon passing through the Earth's shadow or when the Earth passes through the Moon's shadow. The average distance between the Sun and Earth is known as the astronomical unit (AU). The gases from which our solar system formed refer to the solar nebula.

The Ecliptic