Nearby Words
apoapsis
Science Dictionary
apoapsis  (āp'ō-āp'sĭs) Pronunciation Key
Plural apoapsides (āp'ō-āp'sĭ-dēz') The point at which an orbiting object is farthest away from the body it is orbiting. This point is sometimes given a name that is specific to the body being orbited. For example, the apoapsis of an object orbiting Earth is its apogee (from gaia, the Greek word for Earth), and the apoapsis of an object orbiting the Sun is its aphelion (from hēlios, the Greek word for Sun). According to Kepler's laws of planetary motion, an object is at its lowest velocity at the apoapsis. Compare periapsis. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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Apoapsis
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
WordNet
| apoapsis | |
noun | |
| (astronomy) the point in an orbit farthest from the body being orbited [ant: periapsis] |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Cite This Source
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