superior planet

American  

[suh-peer-ee-er plan-it] / səˈpɪər i ər ˈplæn ɪt /

noun

Astronomy.

1. (relative to Earth) any of the five planets whose orbits are farther from the sun, namely, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune: before its reclassification as a dwarf planet in 2006, Pluto was included among the superior planets.

2. (relative to a given planet) any planet whose orbit is farther from the sun.

   If you lived on Mercury, you would consider Venus a superior planet.

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superior planet British  

noun

1. any of the planets (Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and (formerly) Pluto) whose orbit lies outside that of the earth

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superior planet Scientific  

1. Any of the planets Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, whose orbits lie beyond that of Earth. Because these planets never come between the Earth and Sun, they do not exhibit crescent phases, only full and gibbous. Unlike the inferior planets Mercury and Venus, superior planets rise in the east and set in the west in the normal pattern of celestial objects.

2. Compare inferior planet See also inner planet

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Etymology

Origin of superior planet

First recorded in 1575–85

Example Sentences

If so, inductive reasoning will lead us to the inference, which subsequent experience will strengthen, that the moon is inhabited like its superior planet.

From Moon Lore by Harley, Timothy

Page 114 The movement of a superior planet, one whose orbit is exterior to the earth, is clear from Fig.

From Recreations in Astronomy With Directions for Practical Experiments and Telescopic Work by Warren, Henry White

A superior planet discovered by the elder Herschel in 1781; it has four known satellites, but possibly six, according to the impression of the discoverer.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir

To begin with, it should be quite evident that we cannot ever have a transit of a superior planet.

From Astronomy of To-day A Popular Introduction in Non-Technical Language by Dolmage, Cecil Goodrich Julius

A superior planet will be at its greatest distance from us when on the far side of the sun.

From Astronomy of To-day A Popular Introduction in Non-Technical Language by Dolmage, Cecil Goodrich Julius