Background: According to current definitions, all planets must revolve around stars; thus, any potential "rogue planets" are excluded. In the Solar System, all the planets orbit the Sun in the same direction as the Sun rotates (counter-clockwise as seen from above the Sun's north pole). At least one extrasolar planet, WASP-17b, has been found to orbit in the opposite direction to its star's rotation. The period of one revolution of a planet's orbit is known as its sidereal period or year. A planet's year depends on its distance from its star; the farther a planet is from its star, not only the longer the distance it must travel, but also the slower its speed, because it is less affected by its star's gravity. No planet's orbit is perfectly circular, and hence the distance of each varies over the course of its year. The closest approach to its star is called its periastron (perihelion in the Solar System), whereas its farthest separation from the star is called its apastron (aphelion). As a planet approaches periastron, its speed increases as it trades gravitational potential energy for kinetic energy, just as a falling object on Earth accelerates as it falls; as the planet reaches apastron, its speed decreases, just as an object thrown upwards on Earth slows down as it reaches the apex of its trajectory.Each planet's orbit is delineated by a set of elements:

Situation: Planet Neptune is not only very cold but also farther from the Sun than the Earth. In fact, it is the farthest planet from the Sun in our solar system. On the other hand, the Earth enjoys a close proximity to the Sun. Only Mercury and Venus are closer to the Sun than the Earth.

Question: Which planet would travel longer distance, Neptune or Earth?
Answer: Neptune

Situation: Planet Neptune is not only very cold but also farther from the Sun than the Earth. In fact, it is the farthest planet from the Sun in our solar system. On the other hand, the Earth enjoys a close proximity to the Sun. Only Mercury and Venus are closer to the Sun than the Earth.

Question: Which planet would travel shorter distance, Neptune or Earth?
Answer: Earth

Situation: Planet Neptune is not only very cold but also farther from the Sun than the Earth. In fact, it is the farthest planet from the Sun in our solar system. On the other hand, the Earth enjoys a close proximity to the Sun. Only Mercury and Venus are closer to the Sun than the Earth.

Question: Would Neptune travel shorter or longer distance than Earth?
Answer: longer

Situation: Planet Neptune is not only very cold but also farther from the Sun than the Earth. In fact, it is the farthest planet from the Sun in our solar system. On the other hand, the Earth enjoys a close proximity to the Sun. Only Mercury and Venus are closer to the Sun than the Earth.

Question: Would Earth travel shorter or longer distance than Neptune?
Answer: shorter

Situation: Planet Neptune is not only very cold but also farther from the Sun than the Earth. In fact, it is the farthest planet from the Sun in our solar system. On the other hand, the Earth enjoys a close proximity to the Sun. Only Mercury and Venus are closer to the Sun than the Earth.

Question: Which planet would have slower speed, Neptune or Earth?
Answer: Neptune

Situation: Planet Neptune is not only very cold but also farther from the Sun than the Earth. In fact, it is the farthest planet from the Sun in our solar system. On the other hand, the Earth enjoys a close proximity to the Sun. Only Mercury and Venus are closer to the Sun than the Earth.

Question: Which planet would have faster speed, Neptune or Earth?
Answer: Earth

Situation: Planet Neptune is not only very cold but also farther from the Sun than the Earth. In fact, it is the farthest planet from the Sun in our solar system. On the other hand, the Earth enjoys a close proximity to the Sun. Only Mercury and Venus are closer to the Sun than the Earth.

Question: Would Neptune have slower or faster speed than Earth?
Answer: slower

Situation: Planet Neptune is not only very cold but also farther from the Sun than the Earth. In fact, it is the farthest planet from the Sun in our solar system. On the other hand, the Earth enjoys a close proximity to the Sun. Only Mercury and Venus are closer to the Sun than the Earth.

Question: Would Earth have slower or faster speed than Neptune?
Answer: faster

Situation: Planet Neptune is not only very cold but also farther from the Sun than the Earth. In fact, it is the farthest planet from the Sun in our solar system. On the other hand, the Earth enjoys a close proximity to the Sun. Only Mercury and Venus are closer to the Sun than the Earth.

Question: Which planet would be more affected by Sun's gravity, Neptune or Earth?
Answer: Earth

Situation: Planet Neptune is not only very cold but also farther from the Sun than the Earth. In fact, it is the farthest planet from the Sun in our solar system. On the other hand, the Earth enjoys a close proximity to the Sun. Only Mercury and Venus are closer to the Sun than the Earth.

Question: Which planet would be less affected by Sun's gravity, Neptune or Earth?
Answer: Neptune

Situation: John is an amateur astronomer. Last week he was observing the sky with his telescope. First he pointed his telescope at planet Mars. He noted it as case A. Then he pointed his telescope to planet Jupiter, which is farther form the Sun than Mars is. He noted it as case C. Finally, he pointed the telescope to a faraway planet called WASP-17b. He noted that as case B.

Question: Which case would see clockwise movement, case A or case B?
Answer: case B

Situation: John is an amateur astronomer. Last week he was observing the sky with his telescope. First he pointed his telescope at planet Mars. He noted it as case A. Then he pointed his telescope to planet Jupiter, which is farther form the Sun than Mars is. He noted it as case C. Finally, he pointed the telescope to a faraway planet called WASP-17b. He noted that as case B.

Question: Which case would see counter-clockwise movement, case A or case B?
Answer: case A

Situation: John is an amateur astronomer. Last week he was observing the sky with his telescope. First he pointed his telescope at planet Mars. He noted it as case A. Then he pointed his telescope to planet Jupiter, which is farther form the Sun than Mars is. He noted it as case C. Finally, he pointed the telescope to a faraway planet called WASP-17b. He noted that as case B.

Question: Which case would have longer year, case A or case C?
Answer: case C

Situation: John is an amateur astronomer. Last week he was observing the sky with his telescope. First he pointed his telescope at planet Mars. He noted it as case A. Then he pointed his telescope to planet Jupiter, which is farther form the Sun than Mars is. He noted it as case C. Finally, he pointed the telescope to a faraway planet called WASP-17b. He noted that as case B.

Question: Which case would have shorter year, case A or case C?
Answer: case A

Situation: John is an amateur astronomer. Last week he was observing the sky with his telescope. First he pointed his telescope at planet Mars. He noted it as case A. Then he pointed his telescope to planet Jupiter, which is farther form the Sun than Mars is. He noted it as case C. Finally, he pointed the telescope to a faraway planet called WASP-17b. He noted that as case B.

Question: Would case A have longer or shorter year than case C?
Answer: shorter

Situation: John is an amateur astronomer. Last week he was observing the sky with his telescope. First he pointed his telescope at planet Mars. He noted it as case A. Then he pointed his telescope to planet Jupiter, which is farther form the Sun than Mars is. He noted it as case C. Finally, he pointed the telescope to a faraway planet called WASP-17b. He noted that as case B.

Question: Would case C have longer or shorter year than case A?
Answer: longer

Situation: John is an amateur astronomer. Last week he was observing the sky with his telescope. First he pointed his telescope at planet Mars. He noted it as case A. Then he pointed his telescope to planet Jupiter, which is farther form the Sun than Mars is. He noted it as case C. Finally, he pointed the telescope to a faraway planet called WASP-17b. He noted that as case B.

Question: Which case would see faster movement, case A or case C?
Answer: case A

Situation: John is an amateur astronomer. Last week he was observing the sky with his telescope. First he pointed his telescope at planet Mars. He noted it as case A. Then he pointed his telescope to planet Jupiter, which is farther form the Sun than Mars is. He noted it as case C. Finally, he pointed the telescope to a faraway planet called WASP-17b. He noted that as case B.

Question: Which case would see slower movement, case A or case C?
Answer: case C

Situation: John is an amateur astronomer. Last week he was observing the sky with his telescope. First he pointed his telescope at planet Mars. He noted it as case A. Then he pointed his telescope to planet Jupiter, which is farther form the Sun than Mars is. He noted it as case C. Finally, he pointed the telescope to a faraway planet called WASP-17b. He noted that as case B.

Question: Would case A see faster or slower movement than case C?
Answer: faster

Situation: John is an amateur astronomer. Last week he was observing the sky with his telescope. First he pointed his telescope at planet Mars. He noted it as case A. Then he pointed his telescope to planet Jupiter, which is farther form the Sun than Mars is. He noted it as case C. Finally, he pointed the telescope to a faraway planet called WASP-17b. He noted that as case B.

Question: Would case C see faster or slower movement than case A?
Answer: slower