point of periapsis
- noun
- /pɔɪnt əv ˈpɛriˌæpsɪs/
- Specialized
:
punto de periapsis
- The spacecraft reached its point of periapsis during the flyby.
Examples
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Planetary velocity increases as a planet approaches its point of periapsis.
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The satellite transmits data most effectively when it is at its point of periapsis.
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At the point of periapsis, the spacecraft was closest to Mars.
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At the point of periapsis, the gravitational pull is strongest.
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At the point of periapsis, the spacecraft was closest to Mars.
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Planetary velocity increases as a planet approaches its point of periapsis.
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At the point of periapsis, the gravitational pull is strongest.
Synonyms
4
9.9
The point in an orbit when a moon or satellite is closest to Earth
2
9.9
The point in a planet or comet's orbit when it is nearest the sun
The point in an object's orbit when it is closest to the body it goes around
The point in an orbit when a star or planet is closest to another object
The point in an orbit around Jupiter when a spacecraft or moon is closest to the planet
The point in a path around the Moon where a spacecraft is closest to the surface
A point in a satellite's orbit that is nearest the Moon
Antonyms
- Specialized
The point in an orbit that is farthest from the planet or star it goes around
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: 'point' (a specific position) combined with 'periapsis' (the nearest point in an orbit) yields the meaning 'the specific position corresponding to the periapsis'. Although technical, the meaning follows transparently from the constituents and mirrors how such locative constructions are expressed cross-linguistically.
Etymology
Point of periapsis comes from the picture of something moving around a planet: point means a single place and periapsis is the place on that path that is nearest the planet. So, point of periapsis means 'the closest point in the orbit'.