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Glite Dictionary
ascending node

ascending node

9.9
The point where a moon or satellite crosses from south to north across Earth's orbital plane
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : nodo ascendente
  • The satellite passed through the ascending node shortly after sunrise.

Examples

  • Accurate measurements of the ascending node are crucial for determining an orbit's orientation.

  • The moon crosses its ascending node twice during its monthly orbit.

  • Did you see the ascending node?

  • The ascending node is fascinating!

  • The satellite's trajectory includes an ascending node where it crosses the ecliptic plane.

  • Astronomers can calculate the ascending node of a comet's orbit to predict its path around the Sun.

  • During its orbit, the planet passes through the ascending node every six months.

Synonyms

node
vsascending node
  • Specialized
1 8.8

A point where an orbit crosses an imaginary flat plane like the ecliptic

is the crossing that goes from south to north over the ecliptic

Antonyms

descending node
  • Specialized
9.2

The point where an orbiting object crosses the Sun's path from north to south

Surface Forms

ascending node singular
ascending nodes plural

Morphology

ascending + node

The meaning is directly compositional: 'ascending' (moving upward/northward) modifies 'node' (a crossing point in an orbit) to specify the node where the orbit crosses northward, which matches the provided definition. Although the term is technical, its adjective+noun structure makes the sense fully predictable for a learner who knows both constituent meanings.

Etymology

Ascending node is the spot in an orbit where an object moves from the south side to the north side of Earth's path around the Sun. The word ascending means 'going up' and node means 'point', so the name gives a simple image of the orbit 'going up' across Earth's path and explains why we use it to describe an orbit's direction.