aphelion
Astronomy. the point in the orbit of a planet or a comet at which it is farthest from the sun.
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Origin of aphelion
1Other words from aphelion
- a·phe·li·an, adjective
- Compare perihelion.
Words Nearby aphelion
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use aphelion in a sentence
At its perihelion it travels thousands of leagues per minute; at its aphelion it does not pass over more than a few yards.
Young Folks' Library, Volume XI (of 20) | VariousSuicide increases when the earth is in aphelion, and decreases when it is in perihelion.
The Criminal Prosecution and Capital Punishment of Animals | Edmund P. EvansWhen at aphelion the planets move slower, and when at perihelion they move quicker than at the mean distance.
Astrology | SepharialWhen its centre is at the extremity most remote from the sun, or aphelion, it is the summer solstice for the northern hemisphere.
The World Before the Deluge | Louis FiguierThe solar tide varies between aphelion and perihelion from 1·9 to 2·1.
Pioneers of Science | Oliver Lodge
British Dictionary definitions for aphelion
/ (æpˈhiːlɪən, əˈfiː-) /
the point in its orbit when a planet or comet is at its greatest distance from the sun: Compare perihelion
Origin of aphelion
1Derived forms of aphelion
- aphelian, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for aphelion
[ ə-fē′lē-ən ]
The point at which an orbiting body, such as a planet or comet, is farthest away from the Sun. Compare apogee perihelion.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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