An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

The slow rotation of the major axis of a planet's orbit in the same direction as the revolution of the planet itself, due mainly to gravitational interactions with other planets. The perihelion of the planet Mercury advances about 9'.6 per century. The bulk of the advance was accounted by perturbations from other planets. However, a remaining small advance, by 43'' per century, was eventually explained as an effect predicted by Einstein's theory of → general relativity. In the case of close binary stars, the advance of pericenter may additionally be caused by mass transfer and the stars' distorted (elliptical) shapes. Advance of perihelion (or pericenter) is also known as → apsidal motion.

Advance, from O.Fr. avancer "move forward," from V.L. *abantiare, from L.L. abante "from before," from ab- "from" + ante "before," PIE *ant- "front, forehead;" → perihelion.

Pišraft "advance," from piš "forward; in front; before," Mid.Pers. peš + raft "going; walk, travel," from raftan "to go."

The point in the orbit of a planet, or other object in the solar system, which is furthest from the Sun.

Aphelion, from L. aphelium, from Gk. → apo- + helios "sun," cognate with L. sol, Skt. surya, Av. hvar-, Mod.Pers. xor, hur, O.H.G. sunna, Ger. Sonne, E. sun; PIE *sawel- "sun".

Apâhur, from Pers. prefix apâ, → apo-, + hur "sun."

The distance between the → Sun and an → object in orbit around it when they are at their farthest approach.

→ perihelion; → distance.

The angular distance between the → ascending node of an object orbiting the Sun and its perihelion. Argument of perihelion is measured in the → orbital plane with respect to the Sun and in the direction of motion. It is one of the → orbital elements and usually shown with the symbol ω. See also: → argument of perigee, → argument of periapsis.

→ argument; → perihelion.

A large, usually tawny-yellow cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa and southern Asia, having a tufted tail and, in the male, a large mane (dictionary.com).

M.E., from O.Fr., variant of leon, from L. leon- (stem of leo), from Gk. leon.

Mid.Pers. šagr "lion;" cf. Parth. šarg; Sogd. šarγu "lion;" its O.Pers. and Av. forms are not extant. Šir may be cognate with Skt. kēsarin- "lion; literally maned," from kēsar- "mane;" PIE *kaisar- "mane; hairs." If so, šir could be related to PIE *kaisaraka-, provided that the the initial *kai- is dropped and *saraka- has transformed in *sarg, šarg, šir.

A thousand thousand (10⁶).

O.Fr. million, from It. millione, literally "a great thousand," augmentative of mille "thousand," from L. mille.

Milyon, Loan from Fr.

An atmospheric optical phenomenon, seen as a bright spot sometimes appearing at either side of the → Sun, often on a luminous ring or → halo and at the same angular elevation as the Sun. Parhelia are caused by the → refraction and → reflection of → sunlight by → ice crystals suspended in the Earth's → atmosphere. Also called mock Sun or sundog.

From Gk. parhelion "a mock Sun," from → para- "beside" + helios "sun," → helio-.

Parâhur, from parâ-, → para-, + hur "sun," → helio-.

A fraction of a whole number in units of 1/1000,000. It is usually used to describe chemical concentrations, very small amounts of pollutants in air, water, body fluids, and uncertainty. For example 30 ppm is 3 x 10^-5 or 0.003%.

→ part; → per; → million.

The nearest point to the Sun in an orbit around the Sun; opposite of → aphelion.

Perihelion, from L. perihelium, from → peri- + helios "sun," cognate with L. sol, Skt. surya, Av. hvar-, Mod.Pers. xor, hur, O.H.G. sunna, Ger. Sonne, E. sun; PIE *sawel- "sun".

Pirâhur, from pirâ-, → peri-, + hur "sun," as above;

→ advance of perihelion.

→ advance of perihelion.

The distance between the → Sun and an → object in orbit around it when they are at their closest approach.

→ perihelion; → distance.

→ advance of perihelion.

→ perihelion; → precession.

Same as → horizontal eclipse.

From Gk. selene "Moon," related to sela "light, brightness, flame," + helion, → sun.

→ horizontal eclipse.

Same as → horizontal eclipse.

From Fr. selenelion, contraction of → selenehelion.

→ horizontal eclipse.

An uncastrated adult male horse, especially one used for breeding.

M.E. stalon, from O.Fr. estalon, "uncastrated male horse," cognate with O.H.G. stal "stable," cf. O.H.G. stall "stand, place, stable, stall," Ger. Stall "stable," Stelle "place"), from PIE root *stel- "to put, stand," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place; akin to Pers. istâdan "to stand," → station.

Nariyân, from nar "male," → masculine.