Ecliptic

The ecliptic is the imaginary path the Sun appears to trace across the sky over the course of a year, as observed from Earth. It results from Earth's orbit around the Sun, which is tilted about 23.5 degrees relative to the plane of the solar system. This tilt causes the Sun's position to change slightly each day along this path, influencing the seasons. The ecliptic also defines the plane in which most planets orbit the Sun, making it a fundamental reference plane in astronomy.