Suppose a Comet Orbits the Sun on a Highly Eccentric

question 3

Multiple Choice

Suppose a comet orbits the Sun on a highly eccentric orbit with an average (semimajor axis) distance of 1 AU. How long does it take to complete each orbit, and how do we know?

• A) Each orbit takes about 1 year, which we know from Kepler's third law.
• B) It depends on the eccentricity of the orbit, as described by Kepler's second law.
• C) It depends on the eccentricity of the orbit, as described by Kepler's first law.
• D) Each orbit should take about 2 years, because the eccentricity is so large.

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