Rotational control question

[jlabartunek]

I could use some steerage on a project I'm trying out.  I have an primitive plane with an emissive material rotating around another object, lighting it in a dark environment.  So far so good.   But for the life of me,  I cannot figure out how to control the orbit path's width and angles. 

Currently, it has a wide elipse path, coming close to the object when behind and in front, but then wildly shooting off on the right and left of it, and I would prefer it to do just a tight circle around the object.  Moving the emissive plane closer and then adding the animation doesnt seem to matter.

Is there a way to control the orbit path? Am I doing this in the wrong order?