dragon's tail

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. (formerly) the descending node of the moon or a planet.

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Etymology

Origin of dragon's tail

First recorded in 1595–1605

Example Sentences

Scientists call it “tickling the dragon’s tail,” Custer said, because the experiment approaches but stays below the stage at which the fission of nuclear materials sustains an ongoing series of chain reactions.

From Washington Times

RENO, Nev. — Scientists charged with ensuring the aging U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons are good to go - if needed - say they’ll start shipping key components to Nevada’s desert next year to prepare for underground testing they call “tickling the dragon’s tail.”

From Washington Times

Slotin was demonstrating a risky procedure called "tickling the dragon's tail," involving a nuclear weapon core.

From Scientific American

Cocker even tells the story of his girlfriend visiting one of the festival's many stalls and trying on a dragon's tail, "which I found strangely exciting, actually".

From BBC

Since then, the comet has been creeping along the dragon’s tail.

From New York Times