3189: Conic Sections

2026-01-03T03:41:33Z

2601:647:667F:1740:DD93:F829:7DCA:ADBE: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3189
| date = January 2, 2026
| title = Conic Sections
| image = conic_sections_2x.png
| imagesize = 288x322px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = They're not generally used for crewed spacecraft because astronauts HATE going around the corners.
}}

==Explanation==
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A conic section is a a curve formed by the intersection of a plane and a cone. This results in four possible curves: a circle, ellipse, parabola, or hyperbola, depending on the angle of the plane relative to the cone's axis.

Johannes Kepler's First Law of planetary motion states "Planets orbit on ellipses with the Sun at one focus." More generally, the orbit of an object (satellite, planet, etc.) is a conic section with the center-of-mass of the two bodies at the focus.

Astronauts would hate going around the corners due to the rapid and sudden change in direction. The momentum would exert a large number of G-forces, potentially killing the astronauts.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[A view of the Earth, focused on Asia and the Indian Ocean with East Africa at left and the Western Pacific and Australia at right. A satellite is shown in an unusual orbit around the planet.]
:[Caption below the panel:]
:All Keplerian orbits are conic sections. For example, this one uses the base of the cone.
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Geometry]]

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3189: Conic Sections