Precession refers to a change in the direction of the axis of a rotating object.

In certain contexts, "precession" may refer to the precession that the Earth experiences, the effects of this type of precession on astronomical observation, or to the precession of orbital objects.

The revolution of a planet in its orbit around the Sun is also a form of rotary motion.

(In this case, the combined system of Earth and Sun is rotating.) So the axis of a planet's orbital plane will also precess over time.

The major axis of each planet's elliptical orbit also precesses within its orbital plane, in response to perturbations in the form of the changing gravitational forces exerted by other planets..

For more information about the topic Precession, read the full article at Wikipedia.org, or see the following related articles:

Shift of equinox — The precession of the equinoxes refers to the precession of Earth's axis of rotation with respect to inertial space. The precession of the equinoxes ...  > read more

Introduction to general relativity — General relativity (GR) is the geometrical theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1916. It unifies Einstein's earlier special ...  > read more

Gravitation — Gravity is a force of attraction that acts between bodies that have mass. Gravity is the reason for the very existence of the earth, the sun and ...  > read more

Mercury (planet) — Mercury is the innermost and smallest planet in the solar system, orbiting the Sun once every 88 days. It ranges in brightness from about −2.0 ...  > read more

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