An orbit is the path that an object follows as it travels around another object under the influence of gravity. The object that is being orbited is called the central body, and the object that is orbiting is called the satellite.
The most common type of orbit is a circular orbit, in which the satellite follows a circular path around the central body. However, orbits can also be elliptical, meaning that the satellite follows an oval-shaped path around the central body.
Orbits can be found in a variety of locations, including in the Earth's atmosphere, around the Earth itself, around other planets, and around celestial bodies such as the sun and other stars Orbits can also be found around artificial objects, such as satellites and spacecraft.
The properties of an orbit, such as its size, shape, and orientation, are determined by the mass of the central body, the distance between the central body and the satellite, and the speed of the satellite. The laws of motion and gravitation, as described by Sir Isaac Newton and later refined by others, describe how objects move in orbits.
Overall, orbits are a fundamental aspect of the movement of objects in space, and they play a critical role in the study of astronomy and space science.