Osculating orbit

Enckes method-vector.svg

The osculating orbit of an astronomical object is the gravitational Kepler orbit.

This is the normal orbit it would have around a body, supposing it were not perturbed (disturbed) by a third body.[1]

References

  1. Moulton, Forest R. 1970. [1902] Introduction to Celestial Mechanics (2nd revised ed). Mineola, New York: Dover. p322–323.