semimajor axis
The "semimajor axis" is crucial in geometry and astronomy for describing the size and shape of ellipses and orbits.
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Definition
C1Geometry
(technical)Half the length of the longest diameter of an ellipse.
Example
- The semimajor axis of an ellipse is used to calculate its area.
C1Astronomy
(technical)The average distance from the center of an orbiting body to the center of the body it orbits, measured along the longest axis of the elliptical orbit.
Example
- The semimajor axis of Earth's orbit around the Sun is approximately 149.6 million kilometers.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "semimajor axis":