Trajectory of Ulysses in ecliptic coordinates with the Sun at the centre. The orbits of Earth and Jupiter indicate the ecliptic plane, and the initial trajectory of Ulysses was in this plane. After Jupiter fly-by in early 1992, the orbit was almost perpendicular to the ecliptic plane (79° inclination). Crosses denote the spacecraft position at the beginning of each year. Vernal equinox is to the right (positive x-axis). Arrows indicate the nominal interstellar dust flow direction, which is within the measurement accuracy co-aligned with the direction of the interstellar helium gas flow. It is almost perpendicular to the orbital plane of Ulysses.