In the context of a perturbed two body problem, in which the Keplerian motion of the small object (the satellite) is perturbed by the oblateness of the central body (the asteroid) and the attraction of a third body (the Sun), we discuss the long-term evolution of the orbital elements of a satellite orbiting an oblate body, with a particular focus on the behavior of the inclination and the longitude of the ascending node. We derive analytically the position of the Laplace plane as a function of several parameters and use this solution to analyse the long-term evolution of distant circular orbits. The analytical study is complemented by numerical tests, performed in the context of both Cartesian and Hamiltonian frameworks. The results give a description of the orbital dynamical environment of asteroids and reveal the parameters that play a key role in the long-term stability of distant circular orbits.
