






Astro*Dictionary by Michael Erlewine
4 articles for "Semi-Major/Minor Axis"
Semi-Major Axis [Astro*Index]Half an ellipse's major axis. The distance from an ellipse's center to its furthest edge.
See also:Semi-Major Axis [Munkasey M.]
♦ Ellipse
The distance, in an ellipse, from its center to itsfarthest edge. This measurement is used in Celestial Mechanics to determine the size of a Body's orbit. For the use of "a" as an abbreviaiton, see also: Right Ascension.
See also:Semi-Minor Axis [Astro*Index]
♦ Right Ascension ♦ Ellipse
Half an ellipse's minor axis. The distance from an ellipse's center to its nearest edge.
See also:Semi-Minor Axis [Munkasey M.]
♦ Ellipse
The distance, in an ellipse, from its center to itsclosest edge.
See also:
♦ Ellipse
Astro*Index Copyright © 1997 Michael Erlewine
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