Ecliptic Longitude

Ecliptic longitude is a way astronomers measure the position of objects in our solar system relative to the Sun. Imagine the Sun as the center, and the ecliptic as the path along which the planets travel around it. Ecliptic longitude is the angle, measured in degrees, from a fixed starting point (called the vernal equinox) along this path, to the projection of an object like a planet or the Moon onto the ecliptic plane. This measurement helps pinpoint where an object is in its orbit, providing a standardized way to locate celestial bodies in relation to the Sun's apparent path across the sky.