

The rotation rate of planets in the solar system was first measured by tracking visual features. Stars, planets and similar bodies all spin around on their axes. In astronomy, rotation is a commonly observed phenomenon. This terminology is also used in computer graphics.įurther information: Rotation period and Earth's rotation

In flight dynamics, the principal rotations are known as yaw, pitch, and roll (known as Tait–Bryan angles). That is to say, any spatial rotation can be decomposed into a combination of principal rotations. Rotation around any axis can be performed by taking a rotation around the x axis, followed by a rotation around the y axis, and followed by a rotation around the z axis. Rotations around the x, y and z axes are called principal rotations. However, a rotation around a point or axis and a rotation around a different point/axis may result in something other than a rotation, e.g. Thus, the rotations around a point/axis form a group. The reverse ( inverse) of a rotation is also a rotation. If a rotation around a point or axis is followed by a second rotation around the same point/axis, a third rotation results. The axis is 90 degrees perpendicular to the plane of the motion. That common point lies within the axis of that motion. This definition applies to rotations within both two and three dimensions (in a plane and in space, respectively.)Īll rigid body movements are rotations, translations, or combinations of the two.Ī rotation is simply a progressive radial orientation to a common point. Mathematically, a rotation is a rigid body movement which, unlike a translation, keeps a point fixed. Relations between rotation axis, plane of orbit and axial tilt (for Earth).
