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more about ecliptic
ecliptic |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Ecliptic \E*clip"tic\, n. [Cf. F. ['e]cliptique, L. linea ecliptica, Gr ?, prop. adj., of an eclipse, because in this circle eclipses of the sun and moon take place See {Ecliptic}, a.] 1. (Astron.) A great circle of the celestial sphere, making an angle with the equinoctial of about 23[deg] 28'. It is the apparent path of the sun, or the real path of the earth as seen from the sun. 2. (Geog.) A great circle drawn on a terrestrial globe, making an angle of 23[deg] 28' with the equator; -- used for illustrating and solving astronomical problems. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Ecliptic \E*clip"tic\, a. [L. eclipticus belonging to an eclipse, Gr ?. See {Eclipse}.] 1. Pertaining to the ecliptic; as the ecliptic way 2. Pertaining to an eclipse or to eclipses. {Lunar ecliptic limit} (Astron.), the space of 12[deg] on the moon's orbit from the node, within which if the moon happens to be at full, it will be eclipsed. {Solar ecliptic limit}, the space of 17[deg] from the lunar node, within which if a conjunction of the sun and moon occur, the sun will be eclipsed. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: ecliptic n : the great circle representing the apparent annual path of the sun; the plane of the Earth's orbit around the sun; makes an angle of about 23 degrees with the equator; "all of the planets rotate the sun in approximately the same ecliptic"
more about ecliptic