page_title: Mean anomaly
hierarchical_section_title: Mean anomaly
caption_attribution_description: English: Diagram of equal areas swept in equal time, both in a circular orbit and an elliptical orbit. Illustrates the concept of mean anomaly.
context_page_description: In celestial mechanics, the mean anomaly is the fraction of an elliptical orbit's period that has elapsed since the orbiting body passed periapsis, expressed as an angle which can be used in calculating the position of that body in the classical two-body problem. It is the angular distance from the pericenter which a fictitious body would have if it moved in a circular orbit, with constant speed, in the same orbital period as the actual body in its elliptical orbit.
context_section_description: In celestial mechanics, the mean anomaly is the fraction of an elliptical orbit's period that has elapsed since the orbiting body passed periapsis, expressed as an angle which can be used in calculating the position of that body in the classical two-body problem. It is the angular distance from the pericenter which a fictitious body would have if it moved in a circular orbit, with constant speed, in the same orbital period as the actual body in its elliptical orbit.
caption: Area swept out per unit time      by an object in an elliptical orbit, and      by an imaginary object in a circular orbit (with the same orbital period). Both sweep out equal areas in equal times, but the angular rate of sweep varies for the elliptical orbit and is constant for the circular orbit. Shown are mean anomaly and true anomaly for two units of time.  (Note that for visual simplicity, a nonoverlapping circular orbit is diagrammed, thus this circular orbit with same orbital period is Not shown in true scale with this elliptical orbit. For scale to be true for orbits of equal period, diameter of circle must equal major axis of ellipse, thus these orbits must intersect at two points. Visually simplified, but Theoretically confusing.)
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