Image talk:Orbit.svg
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The "Mean anomaly", 'M', should not be from the focal point, but rather from the centre... that 'M' on the figure should be the 'true' anomaly, usually denoted 'v'.
That diagram is only correct for circular orbits, where e = 0.
Agree. The illustration confuses true anomaly with mean anomaly. See Mean anomaly for a correct representation of orbital element 'M'. This element measures time from periapsis passage, expressed as an angle measured from the center of the ellipse, not the focal point, as represented here.
See True anomaly for a correct representation of orbital element 'T' or (v). This element measures the position of an object in its orbit, expressed as an angle measured from the focal point (center of attraction). This parameter is incorrectly marked 'M' in this illustration.
Arpad Horvath appears to have inadvertently reproduced the error from Orbit.png, the earlier bitmap file originally drafted by Urhixidur.
Correcting this would not be easy, different angles will be using the center and focal points and may clutter the drawing too much to be useful, but I will try to find some time; perhaps the original illustrators will beat me to it --Gosgood 20:35, 22 July 2006 (UTC)
Sorry. I can't fix it these weeks. If you want, the free program I used was: Inkscape. I think it is quite easy to use. (Or you can find someone who use it.) -- Harp 11:49, 7 August 2006 (UTC)
Thank you! I was able to patch this fairly easily when it occured to me that one did not have to redraw the diagram completely; it could support w:orbital elements with a simple change to the diagram and some modification to the article itself. I simply relabeled 'mean anomaly' as 'true anomaly', a minimal intrusion. However, I could not address the corresponding change in Orbital_hu.svg. I'm not good at Hungarian at all :(. Could you accommodate this? Gosgood 13:44, 8 August 2006 (UTC)
[edit] general terminology
Can the terms "perihelion" and "ecliptic" be replaced with "periapsis" and "plane of reference", respectively? Currently the diagram only applies to sun-centered orbits. --Lasunncty 17:46, 24 October 2006 (UTC)
