<P> The ecliptic is the circular path on the celestial sphere that the Sun appears to follow over the course of a year; it is the basis of the ecliptic coordinate system . The term also refers to the plane of this path, which is coplanar with Earth's orbit around the Sun (and hence the Sun's apparent orbit around Earth). The ecliptic is not normally noticeable from Earth's surface because Earth rotates, carrying the observer through the cycles of sunrise and sunset, which obscure the Sun's apparent motion against the background of fixed stars . </P> <P> The motions as described above are simplifications . Due to the movement of Earth around the Earth--Moon center of mass, the apparent path of the Sun wobbles slightly, with a period of about one month . Due to further perturbations by the other planets of the Solar System, the Earth--Moon barycenter wobbles slightly around a mean position in a complex fashion . The ecliptic is actually the apparent path of the Sun throughout the course of a year . </P>

What type of path do planets follow around the sun