What effect does a planet's orbital eccentricity have on its potential habitability within the HZ?
Answer
It causes dramatic swings between periods that are too hot and periods that are too cold.
High orbital eccentricity means the planet swings between extremes—close approaches leading to boiling and far approaches leading to freezing—preventing stable liquid water even if the average distance is within the HZ.
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What Is the Habitable Zone? - YouTube
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