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Aphelion: meaning, definitions and examples

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aphelion

 

[ æfəˈliːən ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

astronomy

Aphelion is the point in the orbit of an object (like a planet or comet) where it is farthest from the Sun. The term is derived from the Greek word 'apo', meaning 'away from', and 'helios', meaning 'sun'. It is significant in understanding the elliptical nature of orbits and how distance from the sun affects the object's speed and position.

Synonyms

aphelion point, farthest point.

Examples of usage

  • Earth's aphelion occurs in July each year.
  • During aphelion, the planet moves slower in its orbit.
  • Comets often have very eccentric orbits that lead to a significant difference between their perihelion and aphelion.

Translations

Translations of the word "aphelion" in other languages:

🇵🇹 afélio

🇮🇳 अपहेलियन

🇩🇪 Aphel

🇮🇩 aphelion

🇺🇦 афелій

🇵🇱 aphelium

🇯🇵 アフェリオン

🇫🇷 aphélie

🇪🇸 afelio

🇹🇷 afelion

🇰🇷 아페리온

🇸🇦 الأفليوني

🇨🇿 afelium

🇸🇰 afelium

🇨🇳 远日点

🇸🇮 afelij

🇮🇸 afélíón

🇰🇿 афелий

🇬🇪 აფელიონი

🇦🇿 afelion

🇲🇽 afelio

Etymology

The term 'aphelion' dates back to the early 17th century, coming from the Greek 'apo' (away from) and 'helios' (sun). Its first known use was in the context of astronomy, distinguishing this point in an orbit from 'perihelion', which indicates the closest point to the sun. The concept gained more prominence with the advancement of celestial mechanics, especially during the work of Johannes Kepler in the early 1600s, who formulated laws of planetary motion that detailed how planets travel in elliptical orbits around the sun. Over time, the understanding of aphelion has become integral to fields such as astrophysics and orbital dynamics, helping scientists predict planetary positions and study the behavior of celestial bodies.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #34,504 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.