Ascending and Descending Nodes added to orbits just like Periapsis and Apoapsis are.

[DOOM89]

There are many times where i want to get myself into a perfectly equatorial orbit but have no reference as to where the true AN's and DN's are, if they were there as a standard node like periapsis and apoapsis it would make life so much easier. PLEASE add them to the next update

[kiwiak]

Now thats some great idea for mod.

[Sirrobert]

Select the Mun as target. That is in perfect equatorial orbit. Align accordingly.

Mechjeb also tells you the exact inclination off your orbit

[technicalfool]

Mechjeb does indeed tell you your inclination (amongst a myriad of other orbital information), however it's a mod, and not stock, and doesn't paint an AN/DN marker on your orbit path.

And not every planet has a Mun around it.

I'm somewhat peeved by the lack of AN/DN myself. Wouldn't mind seeing this and some more comprehensive orbital information available in stock. Well, I wouldn't mind seeing Mechjeb in as stock but, let's not go there eh?

Edited December 22, 2013 by technicalfool

[AbeS]

You just need to know where your latitude becomes 0, but you need a mod for that too

It would be a nice addition indeed, after all it is one of the Keplerian elements of an orbit

[thereaverofdarkness]

You can do it by setting your target to an object orbiting what you are orbiting that is in a perfect orbit. If there are none of those available, there is another way: you basically use your planet like a precision micrometer. You align your view such that the circle at the center of the planet lines up with both your orbit and the plane of the ecliptic, and also such that both your orbit and the plane of the ecliptic are both viewed side-on, such that they both look like lines. If you can manage this, the axis of convergence as you look through will cross over both your ascending and descending nodes.

Protip: you can also use this method to align with any other orbit that is around a body other than the one you are orbiting. Just use that orbit in place of the plane of the ecliptic.

edit: if you want to make sure your orbit is right, view it sideways against the plane of the ecliptic. If both appear as a line directly superimposed onto each other, then your orbit is nearly perfect.

Edited December 22, 2013 by thereaverofdarkness

[ArmchairGravy]

I'm on board with this. Although I already use thereaver's way to do it, it would be nice to see it at a glance.

[boomerdog2000]

Agreed, since many planets don't have moons in equatorial orbit, and you can't use the target method from a moon this would be nice to have.

[DOOM89]

i don't want to use mechjeb, im trying to get away from that, the game is much more fun doing it manually and i get a sense of accomplishment when i dock new pieces to space stations when i do it with my own skills lol

mechjeb was good as a learning tool i guess but it takes away from the games "Funness" in my opinion, also relying on it really hurts you when a new patch comes out and mechjeb isnt compatible with it.

Edited December 24, 2013 by DOOM89

[Kasuha]

I don't see much need to have a perfectly equatorial orbit. What might help though would be An/Dn nodes relative to the central body's orbit in higher SOI. So for instance on Minmus they would allow me to make orbit around Minmus in its orbital plane around Kerbin.

[Luis]

I don't see much need to have a perfectly equatorial orbit. What might help though would be An/Dn nodes relative to the central body's orbit in higher SOI. So for instance on Minmus they would allow me to make orbit around Minmus in its orbital plane around Kerbin.

Some way to paint this on the navball, so you can see which way to aim during ascent would be even better.

[Dunbaratu]

The navball already gives you this information, indirectly. The point at which the yellow prograde mark is farthest off from the equator (90 or 270 degrees) will be the point at which you are crossing the equator, because your path drawn on the surface of the planet is a sine wave who's slope is greatest when crossing the zero line, so the point of crossing the equator will be the point where the deflection of prograde from equator on the navball is at its peak.

In other words, imagine if you take your compass heading from the navball and over a period of several minutes you see it doing this:

heading 90

heading 91

heading 93

heading 96

heading 100

heading 115

heading 117 <-- Max deflection away from 90 degrees. Because it's a deflection in the southerly direction, it's is the descending node. The inclination is about 27 degrees (117-90=27).

heading 112

heading 98

heading 95

heading 92

heading 90

heading 89

heading 86

..