perigee

noun

peri·gee ˈper-ə-(ˌ)jē

: the point in the orbit of an object (such as a satellite) orbiting the earth that is nearest to the center of the earth

also : the point nearest a planet or a satellite (such as the moon) reached by an object orbiting it compare apogee

perigean

ˌper-ə-ˈjē-ən

adjective

Examples of perigee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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This happens when the full moon falls at perigee – its closest point to Earth in its orbit. —

Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 14 Nov. 2024 Supermoon refers to a full or a new moon rising near or while the moon reaches perigee, its closest distance to Earth in its orbit around the planet, according to NASA. —

Kelly Tyko, Axios, 16 Oct. 2024 The moon also reached its closest point to the Earth—the perigee—earlier this week, causing a supermoon, which is 14% larger than the typical full moon. —

Ty Roush, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024 Along the lunar orbital path, the point of closest proximity is known as perigee, which is when the moon is, on average, 226,000 miles (363,300 kilometers) from Earth. —

Gina Park and Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for perigee