3
Patterns in Motion
•All planets orbit in almost the same plane (ecliptic, AKA Zodiac)
•Almost all motion is counterclockwise as seen from the north:
–All planets orbit in this direction
–*Almost* all planets spin in same direction
•with axes more-or-less perpendicular to ecliptic
–Regular moons (like Galilean satellites and our own moon) orbit in this direction too
•Planets are regularly spaced
–steps increasing as we go outward