ecliptic
pronunciation
How to pronounce ecliptic in British English:
UK [ɪ'klɪptɪk]
How to pronounce ecliptic in American English:
US [ɪ'klɪptɪk]
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- Noun:
- 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
Word Origin
- ecliptic (n.)
- "the circle in the sky followed by the Sun," late 14c., from Medieval Latin ecliptica, from Late Latin (linea) ecliptica, from Greek ekliptikos "of an eclipse" (see eclipse (n.)). So called because eclipses happen only when the Moon is near the line. Related: Ecliptical.
Example
- 1. Attention was concentrated on the horizon and the ecliptic .
- 2. The ecliptic plane is defined as the imaginary plane containing the earth 's orbit around the sun .
- 3. Saturn still shines in the night though , farther eastward along the ecliptic plane .
- 4. Many european scholars have found it almost impossible to believe that a fully equatorial system of astronomy could have grown up without passing through an ecliptic ( zodiacal ) phase , yet that undoubtedly happened .
- 5. Four bright celestial beacons and a faint triangle of light follow the plane of the ecliptic as it arcs high through this southern hemisphere night skyscape .