Orbital node

The longitude of the ascending node is one of several orbital elements.

An orbital node is either of the two points where an orbiting object intersects a plane of reference inclined with respect to the orbital plane. A non-inclined orbit, which is contained in the reference plane, has no nodes. The line of nodes is the straight line resulting from the intersection of the object's orbital plane with the plane of reference; it passes through the two nodes.

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