SetDirectory["tmp"]

sphere[zposn_]  :=  
      ParametricPlot3D[{Cos[t] Cos[u],  Sin[t] Cos[u],  
          Sin[u]  +  zposn},  {t,  0,  2  Pi}, {u,  -Pi/2,  Pi/2}, 
        PlotRange  ->  {-3, 3},  
        DisplayFunction  ->  Identity]

plane  :=  
      Plot3D[ 0,  {x, -2,  2},  {y,  -2,  2},  
        DisplayFunction  ->  Identity,  
        PlotRange  ->  {-3,  3}]

graphs  =  
      Show[ sphere[2],  plane,  
        DisplayFunction  ->  $DisplayFunction,  
        Boxed  ->  False,  Axes  ->  False]

graphs  =  
      Table[Show[ sphere[posn],  plane,  
          DisplayFunction  ->  $DisplayFunction,  
          Boxed  ->  False,  
          Axes  ->  False],  {posn,  -2,  
          2,   .25}]

\(For[i\  = \ 1, \ 
      i\  ≤ \ Length[graphs], \ \(i++\), 
If[\ 
        i\  < \ 10, 
file\  = \ "0"\  <> \ 
            ToString[i]\  <> \ ".gif", 
file\  = \ 
          ToString[
              i]\  <> \ ".gif"
]; 
Display[file, \ 
        graphs[\([i]\)], \ "GIF"]
]\)