(The moon orbits the Earth at a slight angle, crossing the plane of the ecliptic twice a month.) (sciencenews.org)
To begin with, they orbited close to the plane of the ecliptic in the same direction as the planets, but their orbits were deformed by the galaxy's tidal force and by interactions with nearby stars, gradually becoming more inclined and forming a more or less spherical reservoir,» Morais said. (sciencedaily.com)
Approximately at the base of the plane of the ecliptic. (centauri-dreams.org)