How do the orbital eccentricities of typical comets compare to those of major planets like Earth in terms of path stretching?

Answer

Comets can have eccentricities approaching 0.99, resulting in extremely stretched-out paths.

The orbits of typical comets exhibit far greater eccentricity than those of major planets. While major planets like Earth maintain eccentricities near zero (Earth at 0.0167), indicating near-circular paths, a typical comet can possess an eccentricity value approaching 0.99. This extremely high value results in an orbit that is highly elongated or stretched out. Consequently, the difference between the comet's closest approach (perihelion) and farthest extent (aphelion) can span distances measured in billions of kilometers, leading to dramatic temperature and activity swings as the object traverses the solar system.

How do the orbital eccentricities of typical comets compare to those of major planets like Earth in terms of path stretching?

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