Pluto crosses the ecliptic twice in its 248 Earth years of orbital period. Below, Pluto’s orbit (in red) takes it far above and below the solar system plane. Its orbit does not lie in the same plane as the main planets. Pluto, which is now reclassified as a dwarf planet, lies far off the ecliptic. To understand the ecliptic better, let us take a look at Pluto’s orbit. These celestial objects are very distant from each other but they can appear close together in the sky because they lie in the same plane. This is why, from our perspective on Earth, we can see planet conjunctions in our sky. In the solar system, the planets and moons lie close to the plane of the ecliptic. The constellations of the zodiac hold great significance to many cultures as well. It is very useful in mapping the sky and the stars. In the past, the Sun’s movement through the ecliptic allowed people to determine the time of year as well as the seasons. The zodiac constellations extend about 8° north and south of the ecliptic. The ecliptic is important because it is the Sun’s apparent path relative to the stars in a year. The word zodiac comes from the Greek zōidiakòs kýklos which means “circle of little animals.” The zodiac is a region of the sky with a ring of constellations that lie along the ecliptic. Zodiac Constellations Facts: Everything About the Constellations Along the Ecliptic What Is the Zodiac?
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