Lexell

[ lek-suhl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Astronomy. a comet that passed closer to the earth than any other comet (1770), but now has an orbit that is too distant from the earth for it to be observed.

First recorded in 2000–05; named after Anders Jean Lexell (1740–84), Finnish-born Russian mathematician, who calculated its orbit

Lexell was the first to suspect that this was a new planet eighteen times as far from the sun as the earth is.

Its form and extent might be greatly changed after the manner of Lexell's comet.

A famous example of this kind of planetary horse-play is furnished by the story of Lexell's missing comet.

The adventures of Lexell's comet have long served to exemplify the effects of Jupiter's despotic sway over such bodies.

This possibility seemed to be realized by Chandler's identification of Brooks's and Lexell's comet.

April 23, 2024inveterate

[in-vet-er-it ]

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