explain why the paths of planets around sun are elliptical not circular?

Question

anonymous · Answer

I believe it is due to the attractive force between the masses of the planets and the sun and other planetary bodies

anonymous · Answer

you are right Sinusoidal, but why not circular why only elliptical ?

anonymous · Answer

The gravitational pull the other planets have on one another is pretty insignificant - their force on Earth, for instance, is in the region of 10^-7 N and below. I think it'd be more to do with how the planets move faster at certain points of their orbits (i.e. perihelion); search for Kepler and Kepler's Laws for more details.