This simulation demonstrates Lunar Nodes, the points where the Moon’s orbit crosses Earth’s orbital plane. This follows the Earth and the Moon page, which covers the basics of the Moon’s orbit.
There are a lot of terms in describing how things orbit something. There are many factors to consider beyond the basic shape of an ellipse. When describing eclipses, the concept of nodes is key. In the simulation below, the two nodes are shown where the Moon’s orbit crosses the Earth’s orbit.
Orbital Terms
Perigee – This is when the Moon is at its closest point to the Earth.
Apogee – This is when the Moon is at its farthest point from the Earth.
Inclination – This is the angle between the plane of the Moon’s orbit around the Earth and the plane of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun (the ecliptic plane). The Moon’s orbital inclination is about 5.1°.
Obliquity – This is the angle that the Moon’s axis is tilted relative to its orbit around the Earth.
Line of Nodes – A line drawn between the ascending and descending nodes.
Ecliptic – The path the Sun traces out across the sky as viewed from the Earth; the Ecliptic Plane is essentially the orbital plane of the Earth around the Sun.
Next Steps
There are layers of complexity in orbital mechanics, and the next thing to consider is how the position of the nodes changes over time, which you can view here.
