Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
A near-Earth object (NEO) is any small Solar System body orbiting the Sun whose closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) is less than 1.3 times the Earth–Sun distance (astronomical unit, AU). [2] This definition applies to the object's orbit around the Sun, rather than its current position, thus an object with such an orbit is considered an ...
Supermoon. A supermoon is a full moon or a new moon that nearly coincides with perigee —the closest that the Moon comes to the Earth in its orbit —resulting in a slightly larger-than-usual apparent size of the lunar disk as viewed from Earth. [1] The technical name is a perigee syzygy (of the Earth–Moon–Sun system) or a full (or new ...
The distance of closest approach of two objects is the distance between their centers when they are externally tangent. The objects may be geometric shapes or physical particles with well-defined boundaries. The distance of closest approach is sometimes referred to as the contact distance. For the simplest objects, spheres, the distance of ...
Conjunction (astronomy) In astronomy, a conjunction occurs when two astronomical objects or spacecraft appear to be close to each other in the sky. This means they have either the same right ascension or the same ecliptic longitude, usually as observed from Earth. [1][2] When two objects always appear close to the ecliptic —such as two ...
At perigee (closest), since the Moon is up to 14% closer to Earth than at apogee (most distant), it subtends a solid angle which is up to 30% larger. Consequently, given the same phase, the Moon's brightness also varies by up to 30% between apogee and perigee. [206] A full (or new) moon at such a position is called a supermoon.
Proxima Centauri is the nearest star to Earth after the Sun, located 4.25 light-years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus. This object was discovered in 1915 by Robert Innes. It is a small, low-mass star, too faint to be seen with the naked eye, with an apparent magnitude of 11.13. Its Latin name means the 'nearest [star] of Centaurus'.
Alpha Centauri (α Centauri, α Cen, or Alpha Cen) is a triple star system in the southern constellation of Centaurus. It consists of three stars: Rigil Kentaurus (α Centauri A), Toliman (α Centauri B), and Proxima Centauri (α Centauri C). [14] Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun at 4.2465 light-years (1.3020 pc).
Standard anatomical terms of location are used to describe unambiguously the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position provides a definition of what is at the front ("anterior"), behind ("posterior") and so on.