A lunar orbit is the gravitational locus of an object in space around the Moon. The most common type of lunar orbit is a low lunar orbit, which has an orbital period of about two hours and is used for many lunar missions. The term "lunar orbit" can also refer to the Moon's orbit around the Earth, which takes approximately 27.3 days to complete. In Hebrew, "lunar orbit" is translated as מסלול סביב הירח. In other languages, it is known as orbite lunaire in French, Lunarkreisbahn in German, and órbita lunar in Spanish. Understanding lunar orbits is crucial for space exploration, as it allows for the precise calculation of trajectories for spacecraft and satellites. The study of lunar orbits also provides insights into the gravitational dynamics between the Earth and the Moon, contributing to our broader understanding of celestial mechanics.
Orbit of an object around the Moon
In astronomy and spaceflight, a lunar orbit is an orbit by an object around Earth's Moon. In general these orbits are not circular. When farthest from the Moon a spacecraft is said to be at apolune, apocynthion, or aposelene. When closest to the Moon it is said to be at perilune, pericynthion, or periselene. These derive from names or epithets of the moon goddess.