[longshadow]

The Molniya orbit is ludicrously elliptical....

I'm thinking it is time we set forth the exact criteria for characterizing elliptical Orbits, so that folks like "G3K" won't be so confused in the future:

Orbital Eccentricity | Correct Scientific Adjective

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0.0.................................Really, really round

0.0 < e < 0.25..................Slightly elliptical

0.25 < e < 0.50..................Moderately elliptical

0.50 < e < 0.75..................Highly elliptical

0.75 < e < 0.90..................Ludicrously elliptical

0.90 < e < 0.99..................Unbelieveably elliptical

0.99 < e < 1.0...................Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!

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Note: these terms are only valid in the CGS system. Contact the National Bureau of Standards for an equivalent formulation for the English "furlongs-per-fortnight" measurement system. Your mileage may vary. No deposit/no return. One organism, one vote. Live Free or Die.

[BMCDA]

hehehe... excellent

[VadeRetro]

Maybe we can have "wildly elliptical" as "oscillating in a straight line back and forth, e = 2.0 (defined).

Of course, not too many planets actually do that.