Plane of the Ecliptic

The Plane of the Ecliptic is the flat, imaginary surface that represents Earth's orbital path around the Sun. If you imagine the Sun at the center and Earth's orbit as a slightly tilted circular ring, this ring lies on the plane of the ecliptic. It is also the baseline for the apparent path of the Sun across the sky over the year. Many planets in our solar system orbit roughly along this plane, making it fundamental for understanding celestial motions, eclipses, and the calendar. The ecliptic plane essentially maps the Earth's annual journey around the Sun.