Inferior and superior planets

In the Solar System, a planet is said to be inferior or interior with respect to another planet if its orbit lies inside the other planet's orbit around the Sun. In this situation, the latter planet is said to be superior to the former. In the reference frame of the Earth, where the terms were originally used, the inferior planets are Mercury and Venus, while the superior planets are Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Dwarf planets like Ceres or Pluto and most asteroids are 'superior' in the sense that they almost all orbit outside the orbit of Earth.

History

These terms were originally used in the geocentric cosmology of Claudius Ptolemy to differentiate as inferior those planets (Mercury and Venus) whose epicycle remained co-linear with the Earth and Sun, and as superior those planets (Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) that did not.^[1]

In the 16th century, the terms were modified by Copernicus, who rejected Ptolemy's geocentric model, to distinguish a planet's orbit's size in relation to the Earth's.^[2]

Planets in each category

When Earth is stated or assumed to be the reference point:

"Inferior planet" refers to Mercury and Venus, which are closer to the Sun than Earth is.
"Superior planet" refers to Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune (the latter two added later), which are further from the Sun than Earth is.

The terms are sometimes used more generally; for example, Earth is an inferior planet relative to Mars.

Other planetary terms

Interior planet now seems to be the preferred term for astronomers. Inferior/interior and superior are different from the terms inner planet and outer planet, which designate those planets that lie inside the asteroid belt and those that lie outside it, respectively. Inferior planet is also different from minor planet or dwarf planet. Superior planet is also different from gas giant.

References

^ Lakatos, Imre; Worrall, John; Currie, Gregory (1980). Worrall, John; Currie, Gregory (eds.). The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes. Cambridge University Press. p. 186. ISBN 0-521-28031-1.
^ Kuhn, Thomas S. (1985). The Copernican Revolution: Planetary Astronomy in the Development of Western Thought (4th ed.). Harvard University Press. p. 172. ISBN 0-674-17103-9.

v t e Ancient Greek astronomy
Astronomers	Aglaonice Agrippa Anaximander Andronicus Apollonius Aratus Aristarchus Aristyllus Attalus Autolycus Bion Callippus Cleomedes Cleostratus Conon Eratosthenes Euctemon Eudoxus Geminus Heraclides Hicetas Hipparchus Hippocrates of Chios Hypsicles Menelaus Meton Oenopides Philip of Opus Philolaus Posidonius Ptolemy Pytheas Seleucus Sosigenes of Alexandria Sosigenes the Peripatetic Strabo Thales Theodosius Theon of Alexandria Theon of Smyrna Timocharis
Works	Almagest (Ptolemy) Catasterismi (Eratosthenes) On Sizes and Distances (Hipparchus) On the Sizes and Distances (Aristarchus) On the Heavens (Aristotle)
Instruments	Antikythera mechanism Armillary sphere Astrolabe Dioptra Equatorial ring Gnomon Mural instrument Triquetrum
Concepts	Callippic cycle Celestial spheres Circle of latitude Counter-Earth Deferent and epicycle Equant Geocentrism Heliocentrism Hipparchic cycle Inferior and superior planets Metonic cycle Octaeteris Solstice Spherical Earth Sublunary sphere Zodiac
Influences	Babylonian astronomy Egyptian astronomy
Influenced	Medieval European science Indian astronomy Medieval Islamic astronomy

Solar System

The Sun, the planets, their moons, and several trans-Neptunian objects

Planets, dwarfs	Terrestrials Mercury Venus Earth Mars Giants Gas Jupiter Saturn Ice Uranus Neptune Dwarfs Ceres Orcus Pluto Haumea Quaoar Makemake Gonggong Eris Sedna
Moons	Earth Moon other near-Earth objects Mars Phobos Deimos Jupiter Ganymede Callisto Io Europa all 95 Saturn Titan Rhea Iapetus Dione Tethys Enceladus Mimas Hyperion Phoebe all 146 Uranus Titania Oberon Umbriel Ariel Miranda all 28 Neptune Triton Proteus Nereid all 16 Orcus Vanth Pluto Charon Nix Hydra Kerberos Styx Haumea Hiʻiaka Namaka Quaoar Weywot Makemake S/2015 (136472) 1 Gonggong Xiangliu Eris Dysnomia
Rings	Earth? Jovian Saturnian (Rhean?) Charikloan Chironean Uranian Neptunian Haumean Quaoarian
Small Solar System bodies	Comets Damocloids Meteoroids Minor planets names and meanings moons Planetesimal Planetary orbit-crossing minor planets Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Trojans Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Trojan camp Greek camp Saturn Moons Uranus Neptune Near-Earth objects Asteroid belt Asteroids Ceres Vesta Pallas Hygiea active first 1000 families PHA exceptional Kirkwood gap Centaurs Neptune trojans Trans-Neptunian objects Kuiper belt Cubewanos Plutinos Detached objects Sednoids Scattered disc Oort cloud Hills cloud

Hypothetical objects	Fifth Giant Nemesis Phaeton Planet Nine Planet V Planet X Subsatellites Theia Tyche Vulcan Vulcanoids
Exploration (outline)	Colonization Discovery astronomy historical models timeline Space probes timeline list Human spaceflight space stations list programs Mercury Venus Moon mining Mars Ceres Asteroids mining Comets Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto Deep space
Formation, evolution	Star formation Accretion Accretion disk Excretion disk Circumplanetary disk Circumstellar disc Circumstellar envelope Coatlicue Cosmic dust Debris disk Detached object EXCEDE Exozodiacal dust Extraterrestrial materials Sample curation Sample-return mission Frost/Ice/Snow line Giant-impact hypothesis Gravitational collapse Hills cloud Hill sphere Interplanetary dust cloud Interplanetary medium/space Interstellar cloud Interstellar medium Interstellar space Kuiper belt Kuiper cliff Molecular cloud Nebular hypothesis Oort cloud Outer space Planet Disrupted Migration System Planetesimal Formation Merging stars Protoplanetary disk Ring system Roche limit vs. Hill sphere Rubble pile Scattered disc
Lists	Comets Possible dwarf planets Gravitationally rounded objects Minor planets Natural satellites Solar System models Solar System objects by size by discovery date Interstellar and circumstellar molecules
Related	Double planet Lagrange point Moonlet Syzygy Tidal locking

Solar System → Local Interstellar Cloud → Local Bubble → Gould Belt → Orion Arm → Milky Way → Milky Way subgroup → Local Group → Local Sheet → Virgo Supercluster → Laniakea Supercluster → Local Hole → Observable universe → Universe
Each arrow (→) may be read as "within" or "part of".

Read other articles:

Daftar Bupati Kebumen

Bupati KebumenPetahanaArif Sugiyantosejak 26 Februari 2021KediamanRumah Dinas Bupati KebumenPejabat pertamaPanembahan Bodronolo Berikut ini adalah daftar nama Tumenggung/ Adipati/ Bupati Kebumen dari masa ke masa. No. Bupati / Adipati Awal Menjabat Akhir Menjabat Nama Daerah Wakil Bupati 1 Panembahan Bodronolo 1642 1657 Panjer 2 Hastrosuto 1657 1677 Panjer 3 Kalapaking I 1677 1710 Panjer 4 KRT. Kalapaking II 1710 1751 Panjer 5 KRT. Kalapaking III 1751 1790 Panjer 6 KRT. Kalapaking IV 179...

Deportivo Alavés

AlavésLogoNama lengkapClub Deportivo AlavésBerdiri1921StadionStadion Mendizorrotza, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spanyol(Kapasitas: 19.900)Pemilik Saski Baskonia (70.44%) José Antonio Querejeta (6.4%)Ketua Alfonso Fernández de TrocónizManajer Luis García PlazaLigaLa Liga2022–2023Segunda División, ke-4 dari 22 (promosi via play-off) Kostum kandang Kostum tandang Kostum ketiga Musim ini Club Deportivo Alavés atau biasanya dipanggil Alavés adalah sebuah klub sepak bola Spanyol yang bermarkas di V...

Massiel

MassielMassiel pada 1968Informasi latar belakangNama lahirMaría de los Ángeles Felisa Santamaría EspinosaLahir02 Agustus 1947 (umur 76)AsalMadrid, SpanyolGenrePop, lagu protesPekerjaanPenyanyi, pemeran, pembawa acara televisiInstrumenVokalTahun aktif1966–1996, 2006-2007 María de los Ángeles Felisa Santamaría Espinosa (lahir 2 Agustus 1947), yang lebih dikenal sebagai Massiel, adalah seorang penyanyi pop Spanyol. Ia memenangkan Kontes Lagu Eurovision 1968 dengan lagu La, la, la. R...

Mingyi Swa

For other people named Mingyi Swa, see Mingyi Swa (disambiguation). Heir Apparent of Burma Mingyi Swa မင်းကြီးစွာHeir Apparent of BurmaReign15 October 1581 – 8 January [O.S. 29 December 1592] 1593PredecessorNandaSuccessorMinye Kyawswa IIBorn27 November 1558 Sunday, 2nd waning of Nadaw 920 MEPegu (Bago), Toungoo EmpireDied8 January [O.S. 29 December 1592] 1593 (aged 34) Friday, 8th waxing of Tabodwe 954 MESuphan Buri, SiamBurialFebrua...

Histoire de l'Algérie depuis 1962

Pour un article plus général, voir Histoire de l'Algérie. L’Algérie devient indépendante à l’issue d’une guerre de 8 ans contre l'occupation coloniale française, une présence qui dura 132 ans, et qui prit fin officiellement le 5 juillet 1962. Le Front de libération nationale (FLN), quoique dominé militairement[1], sort vainqueur politique de la guerre[2], à la fois contre les partisans de l'Algérie française et contre ses rivaux, et parvient alors au pouvoir. Ayant un proj...

Luciano Speggiorin

Questa voce sull'argomento calciatori italiani è solo un abbozzo. Contribuisci a migliorarla secondo le convenzioni di Wikipedia. Segui i suggerimenti del progetto di riferimento. Luciano Speggiorin Nazionalità Italia Calcio Ruolo Attaccante Termine carriera 1982 Carriera Squadre di club1 1972-1974 L.R. Vicenza9 (1)1974-1975 Lucchese1 (0)1974-1975 Venezia20 (1)1975-1976 Belluno28 (2)1977-1982 Mestre142+ (34+) 1 I due numeri indicano le presenze e le reti...

First pass effect

Phenomenon of drug metabolism Not to be confused with First dose effect. This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: First pass effect – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Illustration showing the hepatic portal vein system The first pa...

Robert F. Broussard

American politician Robert F. BroussardUnited States Senatorfrom LouisianaIn officeMarch 4, 1915 – April 12, 1918Preceded byJohn ThorntonSucceeded byWalter GuionMember of the U.S. House of Representativesfrom Louisiana's 3rd districtIn officeMarch 4, 1897 – March 3, 1915Preceded byAndrew PriceSucceeded byWhitmell P. Martin Personal detailsBornRobert Foligny Broussard(1864-08-17)August 17, 1864New Iberia, Louisiana, U.S.DiedApril 12, 1918(1918-04-12) (aged...

Maine-et-Loire

Pour les articles homonymes, voir Maine et Loire (homonymie). Maine-et-Loire Administration Pays France Région Pays de la Loire Création du département 4 mars 1790 Chef-lieu(Préfecture) Angers Sous-préfectures CholetSaumurSegré-en-Anjou Bleu Présidente duconseil départemental Florence Dabin (DVD) Préfet Philippe Chopin[1] Code Insee 49 Code ISO 3166-2 FR-49 Code Eurostat NUTS-3 FR512 Démographie Gentilé Angevins Population 824 743 hab.[Note 1] (2021) Densité 116 ha...

Hubungan Mali dengan Tiongkok

Hubungan Tiongkok-Mali Tiongkok Mali Kedubes Mali di Tiongkok Hubungan Tiongkok–Mali merujuk kepada hubungan bilateral antara Tiongkok dan Mali. Republik Rakyat Tiongkok mendirikan hubungan diplomatik dengan Republik Mali pada 25 Oktober 1960.[1] Referensi ^ http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/focac/183436.htm lbs Hubungan luar negeri TiongkokHubungan bilateralAfrika Afrika Selatan Afrika Tengah Aljazair Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Chad Eritrea Etiopia Gabon Gam...

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-RabbitSutradaraNick ParkSteve BoxProduserNick ParkClaire JenningsPeter LordCarla ShelleyDavid SproxtonSkenarioSteve BoxNick ParkBob BakerMark BurtonBerdasarkanWallace and Gromitoleh Nick ParkPemeranPeter SallisRalph FiennesHelena Bonham CarterPenata musikJulian NottSinematograferDavid Alex RiddettTristan OliverPenyuntingDavid McCormickGregory PerlerPerusahaanproduksiAardman Animations[1][2]DreamWorks AnimationDistributorDreamWo...

2K12 Kub

SA-6 redirects here. For the Apollo flight, see AS-101. 2K12 redirects here. For other uses, see 2K12 (disambiguation). Tracked medium-range surface-to-air missile system 2K12 “Kub” NATO reporting name: SA-6 Gainful 2P25 TEL with missiles elevated (2K12 Kub SAM of Serbian 250th Air Defence Missile Brigade)TypeTracked medium-range surface-to-air missile systemPlace of originSoviet UnionService historyIn service1967–presentUsed bySee list of operatorsWars List Yom Kipp...

Dustin Nguyen (attore)

Dustin Nguyen al Sundance Film Festival 2007 Dustin Nguyen, pseudonimo di Nguyễn Xuân Trí[1] (Saigon, 17 settembre 1962), è un attore e artista marziale vietnamita naturalizzato statunitense. Indice 1 Biografia 1.1 Vita privata 2 Filmografia parziale 2.1 Attore 2.1.1 Cinema 2.1.2 Televisione 2.2 Regista 2.3 Sceneggiatore e produttore 3 Note 4 Altri progetti 5 Collegamenti esterni Biografia Sua madre, My Le, era attrice e ballerina e suo padre, Xuan Phat, era un attore, sceneggiat...

大字 (数字)

この項目には、一部のコンピュータや閲覧ソフトで表示できない文字が含まれています（詳細）。数字の大字（だいじ）は、漢数字の一種。通常用いる単純な字形の漢数字（小字）の代わりに同じ音の別の漢字を用いるものである。概要壱万円日本銀行券（「壱」が大字）弐千円日本銀行券（「弐」が大字）漢数字には「一」「二」「三」と続く小字と、「壱」「�...

哈萨克斯坦总统

此条目序言章节没有充分总结全文内容要点。 (2019年3月21日)请考虑扩充序言，清晰概述条目所有重點。请在条目的讨论页讨论此问题。哈萨克斯坦總統哈薩克總統旗現任Қасым-Жомарт Кемелұлы Тоқаев卡瑟姆若马尔特·托卡耶夫自2019年3月20日在任任期7年首任努尔苏丹·纳扎尔巴耶夫设立1990年4月24日（哈薩克蘇維埃社會主義共和國總統）哈萨克斯坦哈萨克斯坦政府...

Agung Hercules

Agung HerculesAgung Hercules saat Pawai Obor Asian Games di Solo, 19 Juli 2018LahirAgung Santoso(1971-02-09)9 Februari 1971Singosari, Malang, IndonesiaMeninggal1 Agustus 2019(2019-08-01) (umur 48)Jakarta, IndonesiaMakamTPU Cikutra, BandungPekerjaanPenyanyiAktorPelawakBinaragawanPengusaha kulinerSuami/istriMira RahayuKarier musikGenreDangdutTahun aktif1998–2019LabelSeven Music Agung Santoso atau yang dikenal dengan Agung Hercules (9 Februari 1971 – 1 Agustus 2019) adala...

Krabby Patty

Krabby PattyPlot element from the SpongeBob SquarePants seri televisiPublisherUnited Plankton PicturesPenampilan pertamaHelp Wanted1 Mei 1999 (1999-05-01)Diciptakan olehStephen HillenburgGenreBahan candaanInformasi ceritaJenisBurger sayuranFungsiMenu makananAfiliasiKrusty Krab Krabby Patty adalah menu burger di sebuah restoran cepat saji fiksional Krusty Krab, dari serial televisi animasi SpongeBob SquarePants. Kreator seri ini, Stephen Hillenburg, menyebut bahwa menu ini tidak berbahan ...

سفارة بنغلاديش في واشنطن العاصمة

سفارة بنغلاديش في واشنطن العاصمة الإحداثيات 38°56′30″N 77°04′04″W / 38.9417°N 77.0678°W / 38.9417; -77.0678 البلد الولايات المتحدة المكان واشنطن العاصمة الاختصاص الولايات المتحدة الموقع الالكتروني الموقع الرسمي تعديل مصدري - تعديل سفارة بنغلاديش في واشن...

In da Loop

Filipino TV series or program In da LoopTitle cardAlso known asCGETV In da LoopGenreReality show Talk show Created byCgeTVWritten byJoaquin Acosta Marie Bernice Bautista Karlo Angelo Kimo Cea Jose Claudio Guerrero Patch BuenaventuraDirected byThe Jemster Lorenzo MarcosPresented byJobert Austria Chacha Balba Edu Ibazeta Jessica Mendoza Nikko Ramos Anna TanCountry of originPhilippinesOriginal languageFilipinoNo. of episodes135ProductionExecutive producerGrachel CastroEditorsJoyce Alvaro Jimmy ...

Championnat du Kazakhstan de football 2020

Premier-Liga 2020 Généralités Sport Football Organisateur(s) Football Federation of Kazakhstan (FFK) Édition 29e Lieu(x) Kazakhstan Date du 7 mars 2020 au 30 novembre 2020 Participants 11 équipes Site web officiel L’argument http://www.pflk.kz/rus/championships/2#league (valeur 2) n’existe pas dans le modèle appelé Hiérarchie Hiérarchie 1re division Niveau inférieur Pervaïa Liga Palmarès Tenant du titre FK Astana Promu(s) en début de saison Kaspiy AqtawKyzyljar Petropavl...