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Originally Posted by JohnD
If the plane is parallel to a tangent to the star, then this is the same as though the centre of the satellite, at right angles to the direction of the stars centre. In other words sideways. No, I really can't see that happening!
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Yes, that's it, and it really does happen. We know this from actual measurements.
That effect is pretty much balanced, on the equator, by a centrifictional force produced by a rotation of the satellite that coincides with the time of orbit.