Raytraced image showing the concepts of inclination (i), longitude of the ascending node (Ω), argument of the periapsis (ω), and true anomaly (ν) for a "minor" object in an elliptic orbit around a larger object.
The red line is the line of apsides; going through the periapsis (G) and apoapsis (H); this line coincides wíth the major axis in the elliptical shape of the orbit
The green line is the node line; going through the ascending (E) and descending node (F); this is where the reference plane (C) intersects the orbital plane (D).
This image was created using the Persistence of Vision Raytracer and the scene description code below: You can use this free raytracing package and the scene description below to re-render the image in new resolutions, or modify the description and thus the image being rendered.
Rendering the POV-Ray scene description as shown below renders this image, showing all four angles of the orbital elements: the two remaining orbital elements not shown here are semimajor axis and eccentricity. Using this scene description, you can generate various views (isometric, normal to reference plane, normal to orbit plane) and display various features of the Keplerian orbit. You can also set the background color and whether to display the Cartesian coordinate axes.
featureCode = 1 displays the argument of the periapsis only (see Image:Argument of Periapsis in Elliptical Orbit.png)
