aphelion

a·phe·li·on

(ə-fē′lē-ən, ăp-hē′-)

n. pl. a·phe·li·a (-lē-ə)

The point on the orbit of a celestial body that is farthest from the sun.

[From New Latin aphēlium : Greek apo-, apo- + Greek hēlios, sun; see sāwel- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

aphelion

(æpˈhiːlɪən; əˈfiː-)

n, pl -lia (-lɪə)

(Astronomy) the point in its orbit when a planet or comet is at its greatest distance from the sun. Compare perihelion

[C17: from New Latin aphēlium (with pseudo-Greek ending -ion) from ap- + Greek hēlios sun]

apˈhelian adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

a•phe•li•on

(əˈfi li ən, əˈfil yən, æpˈhi li ən)

n., pl. a•phe•li•a (əˈfi li ə, əˈfil yə, æpˈhi li ə)

the point in the orbit of a planet or a comet at which it is farthest from the sun. Compare perihelion.

[1650–60; Hellenized form of New Latin aphēlium < Greek *aphḗlion (diástēma) off-sun (distance), neuter of *aphḗlios (adj.) =ap- ap-² + -hēlios, adj. derivative of hḗlios sun. See apogee]

a•phe′li•an, adj.

aphelion

a·phe·li·on

(ə-fē′lē-ən)

The point farthest from the sun in the orbit of a body, such as a planet or a comet, that travels around the sun.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

aphelion

the point in the orbit of a heavenly body where it is farthest from the sun. Cf. perihelion.

aphelion

The point in a planet’s orbit at which it is farthest from the Sun.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

aphelion - apoapsis in solar orbit; the point in the orbit of a planet or comet that is at the greatest distance from the sun

apoapsis, point of apoapsis - (astronomy) the point in an orbit farthest from the body being orbited

perihelion - periapsis in solar orbit; the point in the orbit of a planet or comet where it is nearest to the sun

Translations

apheli

afel

aphelion

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

But this heat, which is sufficient to evaporate the waters, would have formed a thick ring of cloud, which would have modified that excessive temperature; hence the compensation between the cold of the aphelion and the heat of the perihelion."

View in context

Hence the immense benefit of party in politics, as it reveals faults of character in a chief, which the intellectual force of the persons, with ordinary opportunity and not hurled into aphelion by hatred, could not have seen.

View in context

Tribune News Network Doha THE red planet, Mars, will be at its Aphelion point (farthest point from the Sun) on Monday (August 26) where it will be approximately 249 million kilometres away from the sun's centre, Qatar Calendar house (QCH) announced on Sunday.

Mars is set to approach its Aphelion point today

Today on July 3, the Earth reaches aphelion, the point at which it is farthest from the Sun.

Still eating the southern Illinois way

Earth is farthest from the sun (at aphelion) on the 4th.

Skywatch

Juno's distance from Earth at opposition depends on where it's at in its orbit, i.e., at aphelion or perihelion; we get better looks when it's nearer perihelion.

An Asteroid Pays a Visit: This month offers ideal viewing conditions for asteroid 3 Juno

This financing round was led by the private equity investment team at BMO Global Asset Management (EMEA), MVM Life Science Partners, Medvest Capital as well as Aphelion Capital.

Providence Medical Technology concludes USD25m in equity financing

In July, the planet reached Aphelion, which is the farthest point in its orbit around the sun, and was around 70mn km from the sun's centre.

Mercury to come closest to Sun on Sunday

JULY 6 - EARTH AT APHELION The second point in the Earth's orbit where it is closest to the sun (see Earth at Perihelion).

Look to the sky

Consequently, the orbital distance of Jupiter between Perihelion = 4.95029 and Aphelion = 5.45492 astronomical units approximates the main attractor node [56; [infinity]] of the electron-calibrated F (10):

Scale-Invariant Models of Natural Oscillations in Chain Systems and Their Cosmological Significance

At its aphelion, Earth is 94.5 million miles from the sun.

What's that up in the sky?