diff --git a/lib/skein/include/skein/orbit.h b/lib/skein/include/skein/orbit.h
index e3f6002..6420c76 100644
--- a/lib/skein/include/skein/orbit.h
+++ b/lib/skein/include/skein/orbit.h
@@ -9,18 +9,19 @@ typedef std::vector<float> Vector6;
 class Orbit
 {
 public:
-    Orbit(const Vector6 keplerianElements);
+    Orbit(float semiMajorAxis, float eccentricity, float inclination,
+        float argumentOfPeriapsis, float longitudeOfAscendingNode);
     ~Orbit() = default; 
 
+    float getEccentricity() const;
+    void setEccentricity(float eccentricity);
+
     // TODO: meanAnomaly in all these arguments actually means eccentricMeanAnomaly,
     // will have to change that when adding non-ellipctical orbits - don't get confused!
     const glm::vec3 getPosition(const float meanAnomaly) const;
     glm::vec3 getTangent(const float meanAnomaly);
     glm::mat4 getLookAlongMatrix(const float meanAnomaly);
 
-    void setElements(Vector6 keplerianElements);
-    void getElements(Vector6& keplerianElements) const;
-
 private:
     Vector6 _keplerianElements;
 
diff --git a/lib/skein/src/orbit.cpp b/lib/skein/src/orbit.cpp
index 726f259..1a9335f 100644
--- a/lib/skein/src/orbit.cpp
+++ b/lib/skein/src/orbit.cpp
@@ -5,19 +5,25 @@
 
 #include <glm/gtc/matrix_transform.hpp>
 
-Orbit::Orbit(Vector6 keplerianElements) :
-    _keplerianElements(keplerianElements)
+Orbit::Orbit(float semiMajorAxis, float eccentricity, float inclination,
+    float argumentOfPeriapsis, float longitudeOfAscendingNode)
 {
+    _keplerianElements.resize(6);
+    _keplerianElements[astro::semiMajorAxisIndex] = semiMajorAxis;
+    _keplerianElements[astro::eccentricityIndex] = eccentricity;
+    _keplerianElements[astro::inclinationIndex] = inclination;
+    _keplerianElements[astro::argumentOfPeriapsisIndex] = argumentOfPeriapsis;
+    _keplerianElements[astro::longitudeOfAscendingNodeIndex] = semiMajorAxis;
 }
 
-void Orbit::setElements(Vector6 keplerianElements)
+float Orbit::getEccentricity() const
 {
-    _keplerianElements = keplerianElements;
+    return _keplerianElements[astro::eccentricityIndex];
 }
 
-void Orbit::getElements(Vector6& keplerianElements) const
+void Orbit::setEccentricity(float eccentricity)
 {
-    keplerianElements = _keplerianElements;
+    _keplerianElements[astro::eccentricityIndex] = eccentricity;
 }
 
 glm::mat4 Orbit::getLookAlongMatrix(const float meanAnomaly)
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index eb95051..72c147b 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 
 #include <GL/glew.h>
 #include <GLFW/glfw3.h>
-#include <astro/stateVectorIndices.hpp>
 #include <iostream>
 
 #include "gfx.hpp"
@@ -95,13 +94,7 @@ int main()
     // set up scene
     Icosphere planet(0.2, 3, litProgram);
 
-    std::vector<float> keplerianElements(6);
-    keplerianElements[astro::semiMajorAxisIndex] = .75;
-    keplerianElements[astro::eccentricityIndex] = .5;
-    keplerianElements[astro::inclinationIndex] = 3.142 / 2.0 + 1;
-    keplerianElements[astro::argumentOfPeriapsisIndex] = 2.0;
-    keplerianElements[astro::longitudeOfAscendingNodeIndex] = 0;
-    Orbit orbit(keplerianElements);
+    Orbit orbit(.75f, .5, 3.142 / 2.0 + 1, 2.0, 0);
     OrbitVisualizer orbitVisualizer(orbit, unlitProgram);
 
     Icosphere orbiterSphere(0.07, 2, litProgram);
diff --git a/src/orbiter.cpp b/src/orbiter.cpp
index d2fdf2a..0dabbfa 100644
--- a/src/orbiter.cpp
+++ b/src/orbiter.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #include "orbiter.hpp"
 
 #include <iostream>
-#include <astro/stateVectorIndices.hpp>
 
 Orbiter::Orbiter(Icosphere& sphere, Orbit& orbit, GLuint shaderProgram) :
     _sphere(sphere),
@@ -28,23 +27,17 @@ void Orbiter::cycleAnimation()
 
 glm::vec3 Orbiter::getPosition(const float time)
 {
-    std::vector<float> keplerianElements(6);
-    _orbit.getElements(keplerianElements);
-
     //int animation = (int)(time/ORBITAL_PERIOD) % 2 == 1;
 
     if (_animation == ANIM_ORBITING)
         return _orbit.getPosition(time);
 
-    // TODO: i want to modify the eccentricity of the orbit with a control,
-    // not an automatic animation
+    // TODO: modify the eccentricity of the orbit with a control instead 
+    // of an automatic animation
     if (_animation == ANIM_ECCENTRICITY)
     {
-        // TODO: what are these magic numbers
         float e = .25 + .2 * sin(time);
-        keplerianElements[astro::eccentricityIndex] = e;
-        // TODO: extract set from getter
-        _orbit.setElements(keplerianElements);
+        _orbit.setEccentricity(e);
 
         return _orbit.getPosition(0);
     }