Explore how the Moon’s tilted orbit, changing nodes and shifting perigee and apogee control when eclipses can occur. Use the simulation to move through real dates from 1990 to 2060
The Moon’s orbit is tilted by about 5° compared with the ecliptic, the plane of Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Because of this tilt, the Moon usually passes above or
Explore the Earth–Moon system in 3D, including orbital motion, axial tilt, lunar inclination, synchronous rotation, changing Earth–Moon distance and the barycentre. Switch between relative-size and true-scale views to investigate how
Explore Kepler’s Second Law through an interactive orbital simulation. Investigate how a planet’s speed changes throughout its elliptical orbit and discover why equal areas are swept out in equal intervals
This page demonstrates Kepler’s First Law of Planetary Motion with an interactive simulation.
This activity is part of our live SpacewardBound sessions delivered directly in schools. We run it as a full interactive experience using our mobile planetarium and hands-on activities.
Receive occasional updates about new space resources, classroom ideas, discoveries and programmes for schools across Aotearoa New Zealand.
