Why satellite paths zig zag when shown on earth map? Do satellites revolve in zig zag path and not straight?
151358
The satellite has a straight rotation around the earth but most do not have the same direction of rotation as the earth. but a tilted rotation so that it passes from the northern hemesphere to the southeren hemesphere. combined with the earths actual rotation makes it look like the satellite zig zag
91665
Its more of an elispse, not perfectly round due to the gravitational pull of the oceans by the moon and due to mountains.
700811
This is because the earth is so large - relatively - as compared to our size. While standing on the earth, we are unable to see the change in slope of the earth's surface. Our line of sight will make it seem as if the earth is flat, but our sight is really a tangent, being very close to the line of the earth's surface. An example of this is when look out at the ocean, and see the masts of a ship first in the distant horizon. This is because at that distance, the curve of the earth is more prominent.
15283
the satellite images on google earth are not images but stored images taken from previous passes of satellites over the earth. depending on where you live, some images may be updated and others not so up to date.
1049837
It's due to the jetstream which is located at about 250 mb which is approximately 12km above the surface (give or take).\nAnyway the jet stream does circle the globe (not always continuously) flowing from west to east (in the northern hemisphere).  Our weather systems are steered by the upper level winds associated with the jet stream.  Keep in mind though, the jet stream does have troughs and ridges which causes weather systems to move north or south, but the general flow is from west to east.\n\n-For those who say it's the rotation of the Earth... it is in a way because it's the unequal heating of the earth and the rotation of the earth that creates the jet stream.  But it really is upper level winds which steer weather systems.
330323
what? I don't think the moon appears stationary since it travels across the sky and goes through phases.\nWhat?
1022265
There is no sideways in space, either.\n\nDirections are relative to perspective. The direction that is down to me is the same direction as up is to people on the other side of this round world.\n\nMaybe the earth is inside-out?
39914
Horizontal is sideways. Think of the horizon. It goes sideways (not up and down) across the sky.
540627
Not an uncommon thing to see. The "sky" is laid out in compass points and most commercial air craft are assigned flight paths that are like "high ways" in the sky. Generally you will find those "trails" are on true points, 00%,45%,90% etc. The reason for the near perfect "X" is due to the vectors the two were heading on.
410954
The Earth is round.\nObviously at lower latitudes you view the moon from a different angle than what you would at higher latitudes.\nSo that at the equater the moon when rising would look like a bowl from that angle in that phase.
196821
The plane formed by the Earth's orbit is called the ecliptic. While most of the planets' orbits are close to this plane, Mercury and Pluto's orbits differ by several degrees.
439775
The plane is actually following the curvature of the earth, which only seems to look straight - exactly the way ships do.\nIF it would follow a geometrical straight line, it would actually increase altitude, leaving the sphere of the atmosphere, and make it look like a perpetuous climb (gain of altitude) to a LOCAL observer ...\nBut the so cold level-flight, is a question of keeping altitude, or keeping touch with a certain air pressure, which means a constant distance to the earths center of gravity, making the path a curve...\nSo, a plane is not flying a straight line - strict geometrically (and GLOBAL) speaking!
643880
Most of the orbits are set (initial point and direction) so that they don't crash into each other, but even if they didn't, the amount of surface area (of satellites at the same altitude) is so great that there is an extremely small chance that they would crash into each other even if they were set randomly.  Imagine a thousand people placed randomly around the world, blindfolded and told to walk around.  Think of how low the probability that two people would run into each other would be.
337304
A satellite transmits signals to the earth.it tracks the object by moving with the same speed as that of the car
861730
Geo satellites have a proscribed speed since they must orbit in the equatorial plane of the planet to be stationary in the sky relative to points on the earth.  \n\nPolar orbits can be at any altitude, so the speed will vary depending.
351971
Because of the earths rotation on it's axis the sun appears to travel left to right across the sky in the Northern hemisphere. It is merely an illusion, for all intents and purposes as the earth goes round the sun, we can say that the sun is stationary for the purpose of this question.
11338
The earth is round. There are some physical proofs below, assuming you don't trust the pictures of the Earth taken from the various space programs.