Ecliptic | Definition, Facts, Obliquity, & Zodiac - Britannica

Home » What Is The Ecliptic Plane » Ecliptic | Definition, Facts, Obliquity, & Zodiac - Britannica

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You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security. Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos ecliptic Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics Images north celestial and ecliptic poles Planes of the ecliptic, the lunar equator, and the lunar orbit Planet's orbital plane in relation to the ecliptic Quizzes Nicolaus Copernicus. Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer. In 1543 he published, forward proof of a Heliocentric (sun centered) universe. Coloured stipple engraving published London 1802. De revolutionibus orbium coelestium libri vi. All About Astronomy Britannica AI Icon Contents Science Astronomy CITE verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/ecliptic Feedback External Websites Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback

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External Websites
  • Durham University - Durham Astronomy Research Cluster - The Ecliptic: the Sun's Annual Path on the Celestial Sphere
  • PNAS - Is an eclipse described in the Odyssey?
  • Space.com - How the Ecliptic and the Zodiac Work
  • Sky and Telescope - What is the Ecliptic?
  • CORE - Eratosthenes, Hipparchus, and the Obliquity of the Ecliptic
north celestial and ecliptic poles
north celestial and ecliptic poles The north celestial and the north ecliptic poles at various positions of Earth in its annual path around the Sun. (more)
ecliptic astronomy Ask Anything Homework Help Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Feb. 6, 2026 •History Britannica AI Icon Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

ecliptic, in astronomy, the great circle that is the apparent path of the Sun among the constellations in the course of a year; from another viewpoint, the projection on the celestial sphere of the orbit of Earth around the Sun. The constellations of the zodiac are arranged along the ecliptic. The ecliptic is inclined at 23.44° to the plane of the celestial equator; this inclination is called the obliquity of the ecliptic. The two points of intersection of the ecliptic and the plane mark the vernal and autumnal equinoxes.

Key People: Hipparchus al-Battānī (Show more) Related Topics: Sun zodiac celestial sphere (Show more) On the Web: PNAS - Is an eclipse described in the Odyssey? (Feb. 06, 2026) (Show more) See all related content

In the ecliptic system of astronomical coordinates, celestial longitude is measured in degrees east from the vernal equinox along the ecliptic. Celestial latitude is measured in degrees north (positive) or south (negative) from the ecliptic to the ecliptic poles. Each ecliptic pole is 23.44° from the corresponding celestial pole.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Erik Gregersen.

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