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

The angular distance between the → ascending node of an object orbiting the Earth and its perigee, measured from the Earth. See also: → argument of perihelion, → argument of periapsis.

→ argument; → perigee.

The point in the orbit of a body revolving around the Earth at which it is nearest to the Earth; opposite of → apogee.

From Fr. périgée, from L. perigæum, from Gk. perigaion "near of the earth," from → per- "near" + gaia/ge "earth."

Pirâzam, from pirâ-, → peri-, + Av. zam- "the earth," Mid.Pers. zamig, Mod.Pers. zami, zamin "the earth;" cf. Skt. ksam, Gk. khthôn, khamai "on the ground," L. homo "earthly being" and humus "the earth" (as in homo sapiens or homicide, humble, humus, exhume); PIE root *dh(e)ghom "earth".

A solar or lunar eclipse that takes place when the Moon is at the → perigee of its orbit. The maximum duration of a solar perigee eclipse is 5h 14m (between first and the fourth contact). The maximum duration of a lunar perigee eclipse, between the two exterior contacts of the Moon with the penumbra, is 5h 16m, the maximum totality being 1h 40m (M.S.: DSE).

→ perigee; → eclipse.

The → full Moon when our natural satellite is at its closest approach to the Earth. Perigee full Moons are as much as 14% larger and 30% brighter than → apogee full Moons. Also called perigee-syzygy full Moon, super full Moon, and → supermoon. The Supermoon on November 14, 2016, was the closest (356,523 km) a Full Moon has been to Earth since January 26, 1948. The next time a Full Moon is even closer to Earth (356,448 km) will be on November 25, 2034.

→ perigee; → full; → moon.

→ perigee full Moon.

→ perigee-; → syzygy; → full; → moon.