Trajectory class · e < 1

Bound (Elliptical) Orbit

An orbit with eccentricity below 1: the object is gravitationally bound to the Sun and returns. Planets, asteroids, and periodic comets all follow bound elliptical orbits. A bound orbit is the baseline against which unbound, hyperbolic trajectories are recognised.

Definition

Eccentricity below 1 — a closed, repeating orbit; the object is bound to the Sun.

The eccentricity ladder

Orbits run from bound and elliptical, through the parabolic boundary, to the strongly hyperbolic trajectories of interstellar objects.

Near-Parabolic Orbit →

Sources

Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.

NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.
NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.

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