An orbit is the path followed by an object around a celestial body, such as a star, planet, moon, or satellite. Objects in orbit are constantly falling towards the celestial body they orbit because of gravity, but have enough horizontal velocity to keep missing the body and maintain a stable path. Orbits can be elliptical, circular, or even parabolic depending on the object's velocity and the mass of the celestial body. The study of orbits and orbital mechanics is an important aspect of aerospace engineering and astronomy.
