3 ms·

How is it possible to have an orbit without the sun at the center?

• ncmncm 5y ago
  An elliptical orbit has, instead of a center, two foci, or focuses. In a very eccentric, or sharp and skinny, ellipse like this object's orbit, there is a focus very close to each pointy end. The sun is at one of these. (There is nothing at the other.) At the point of closest approach to the sun somewhere inside (the radius of) Saturn's orbit, it will be going twice as fast as Saturn, but at almost a right angle to it, swinging past the south pole of the sun, and will then shoot out to an immense distance, slowing all the way until it slows down enough to fall back in again for another go.