pericentrepericentern.
/ˈpɛrɪsɛntə/, U.S. /ˈpɛrəˌsɛn(t)ər/ Astronomy and Astronautics.
The point in the path of a celestial object or spacecraft orbiting around a centre at which it is nearest to the centre. Opposed to apocentre n.
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the world > the universe > heavenly body > movement of heavenly bodies > [noun] > movement in orbit > orbit > eccentric > parts of
pericentre1875
apocentre1901
1875 S. Newcomb Uranian & Neptunian Syst. 17 The distance of the pericentre from the ascending node on the equator.
1901 S. Newcomb Stars 160 In some cases there may be two pericentres and two apocentres to the apparent orbit.
1966 Science 2 Sept. 1102/1 We estimate that the pericenter altitude would decrease by about 8 to 10 km during the first 4 or 5 days of photography.
1994 H. Karttunen et al. Fund. Astron. vii. 136 (caption) Vector e points to the direction of the pericentre, where the orbiting object is closest to the central body.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1875