Ecliptic
Ecliptic
The Ecliptic (/ɪˈklɪptɪk/; from the Greek word "εκλείπω" meaning "to fail to appear") is the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun. From the perspective of an observer on Earth, the sun's movement around the celestial sphere over the course of a year follows a path along this plane.
Etymology
The term "Ecliptic" comes from the Greek word "εκλείπω" (ekleípō), which means "to fail to appear" or "to be omitted". This is in reference to the fact that an eclipse can only occur when the Moon crosses the ecliptic.
Related Terms
- Celestial sphere: An imaginary sphere with the Earth at its center. All objects in the observer's sky can be thought of as projected upon the inside surface of the celestial sphere.
- Orbit: The gravitationally curved trajectory of an object, such as the trajectory of a planet around a star.
- Sun: The star at the center of the Solar System. The Earth and other matter (including other planets, asteroids, meteoroids, comets, and dust) orbit the Sun.
- Moon: An astronomical body that orbits planet Earth and is Earth's only permanent natural satellite.
- Eclipse: An astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object is temporarily obscured, either by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Ecliptic
- Wikipedia's article - Ecliptic
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