How to make animation orbit?

[cds333]

Say I have 2 spheres, both separate components. How do I make the one sphere orbit the second sphere at a given rate?

For example - the planets orbiting around the sun in correct time.

Everything I find via search is about orbiting the camera not the component itself 😞

Thanks!

[etfrench]

As long as the path is a circle, use the revolute joint.

Settings:

Motion Study may be able to give you time but I'm not sure if you'll be able to keep your computer running for a year to simulate one revolution of the earth around the sun

[cds333]

I meant to say “relative time”. I have to add multiple planets and they must orbit correctly relative to each other.

thank you! That seems quite simple actually.

now how bout an elliptical orbit? With an eccentricity of 0.75...

🙂

[etfrench]

I don't think it's possible to make an elliptical joint.  You can fake it by using an off center joint origin and an altered viewing angle: