aphelion
Americannoun
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aphelia
plural
noun
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The point at which an orbiting body, such as a planet or comet, is farthest away from the Sun.
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Compare apogee perihelion
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Etymology
Origin of aphelion
1650–60; Hellenized form of New Latin aphēlium < Greek *aphḗlion ( diástēma ) off-sun (distance), neuter of *aphḗlios (adj.), equivalent to ap- ap- 2 + hḗli ( os ) sun + -os adj. suffix. See apogee
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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But as of 2023’s aphelion, Earth’s center will be 152,093,250 kilometers from the center of the sun.
From Scientific American ● Jun. 30, 2023
Earth reaches aphelion July 3, the most distant spot on its imperfect, annual orbit around the sun.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 1, 2017
Satellites circling Mars have seen aphelion clouds sitting close to the surface at night, then rising 20 kilometers up in the afternoon.
From Science Magazine ● Mar. 22, 2017
Mercury has a highly elliptical orbit, so that it is only about two-thirds as far from the Sun at perihelion as it is at aphelion.
From Textbooks ● Oct. 13, 2016
In the six weeks in which Mercury moves from aphelion to perihelion, it approaches the Sun by fourteen millions of miles, and the heat received by it is increased 2½ times.
From Are the Planets Inhabited? by E. Walter (Edward Walter) Maunder
The two last-named comets would likewise seem to have a period of revolution not exceeding five or six years, and their aphelia are in the vicinity of Jupiter's orbit.
From COSMOS: A Sketch of the Physical Description of the Universe, Vol. 1 by Alexander von Humboldt
From considerations on the aphelia of certain comets, Prof. Forbes in 1880 computed the probable position of such a body.
From Astronomical Curiosities Facts and Fallacies by J. Ellard Gore
We find, as a matter of fact, that several periodic comets either pass near Jupiter or have their aphelia in the neighbourhood of the orbit of Jupiter.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 7 "Columbus" to "Condottiere" by Various
Moreover, a large majority of comets would then have their aphelia in the direction of the sun’s motion, and therefore their perihelia in the opposite direction.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 7 "Columbus" to "Condottiere" by Various
The extremes of temperature at perihelia and aphelia to which comets are subjected did not bother him particularly.
From Astronomy: The Science of the Heavenly Bodies by David Peck Todd
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