sidereal day
A 'sidereal day' is crucial in astronomy for understanding Earth's rotation relative to the stars, differing slightly from the solar day.
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Definition
C1Astronomy
(technical)The period it takes for Earth to complete one rotation relative to the fixed stars, about 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds.
Example
- Astronomers use the sidereal day to track the positions of stars in the night sky.
C2Astronomy
(technical)The interval between two successive transits of a given star over the same meridian.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "sidereal day":