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As the Earth passes another planet in its orbit, the plant appears to move backward in the sky. This is an optical illusion.

Earth takes 365 days to orbit the Sun, and all the outer planets take longer. Around the time of closest approach (opposition) to a planet, Mars for example, the Earth is moving more quickly both in terms of actual speed and of angular speed. At this time Mars appears to go backwards against the background of the fixed stars when we watch from the Earth.

It's like, when you overtake another car on the motorway, it appears to be going backwards.

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9y ago
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14y ago

The planet's progress appears to slow down, or reverse its direction altogether so that it appears to move westward with respect to the stars over a period of many nights. It is important to note that this aberration of motion is an illusion - the planet in question has not changed its orbit in any way. Because of the relative motions among the observed planet and Earth, the observer on Earth sees an illusion, and from the observer's perspective, the planet appears to deviate from its normal orbit.

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12y ago

because earth moves faster in its orbit than do planets farther from the sun.

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10y ago

Retrograde motion is called an apparent motion because it is the opposite direction to the movement of something.

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15y ago

What causes the motion of planets?

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Q: What causes apparent retrograde motion in planets?
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Related questions

What is retrograde motion as applied to a planet?

The "apparent" reverse or backwards motion of a planet as observed from Earth. The innermost planets appear to have a retrograde motion when viewed from Earth.


The apparent westward movement of a planet is known as?

retrograde motion


Do the planets in the solar system all move in retrograde motion?

YES. There are several meanings to "retrograde" in astronomy. In this case, I am assuming you mean the apparent "backwards" orbital motion of a planet that is sometimes seen. This is very obvious in the case of Mars. Also, all the outer planets show this "apparent retrograde motion". It's easy to forget, but Mercury and Venus also show this behaviour, but in a slightly different way.


What two planets that retrograde motion around the sun?

Mercury and Venus are the two planets that retrograde motion around the sun.


Which two planets have Retrograde motion?

Venus and Uranus have retrograde rotation.There are other meanings of retrograde motion, but retrograde rotation fits the question best.


What do the planets do to incur retrograde motion?

The planets don't have to "do anything" to "go into" retrograde motion. The retrograde motion, the "moving backward" that planets do as we watch them cross the night sky over the weeks, is due to the nature of the orbit of a planet and to our view of that orbit from earth.


What is the planet that rotates by retrograde motion?

Actually, 3 planets rotate in a retrograde motion, which, by the way, means that they rotate East to West, or in a counterclockwise motion. Most planets rotate in a clockwise direction, or West to East. The three planets that rotate in a retrograde motion are Venus, Uranus and Pluto.venus


What is the name given to the phenomenon in which the apparent motion of the planets sometimes reverses?

Retrograde motion happens when the Earth overtakes an outer planet in its orbit. It happens around the date of Opposition when the planet is opposite the Sun in the sky. Usually planets travel from west to east along the ecliptic, but during retrograde motion they travel backwards, from east to west,.


When a superior planet is in the middle of its retrograde motion what planetary configuration is it in?

Superior planets are in opposition when in the middle of their retrograde motion.


What is a retrograde motion?

Rotation that is opposite to the common rotation of most objects in the solar system. Most of the planets rotate counter-clockwise, while Venus and Uranus rotate in a retrograde motion - clockwise. moving backward motion


What were epicycles used to describe?

The retrograde motion of planets


In what direction is the sun's annual motion relative to the fixed stars?

The Sun's apparent motion among the stars is from West to East - just like the motion of the Moon, and the predominant motion of the planets (planets sometimes go from East to West, too - in this case they are said to be retrograde).