celestial body

noun

variants or less commonly celestial object

plural celestial bodies also celestial objects

: an aggregation of matter in the universe (such as a planet, star, or nebula) that can be considered as a single unit (as for astronomical study)

But many scientists began seriously rethinking their notions of the solar system in 1992, when we identified a small celestial body—just a few hundred kilometers across—sited farther from the sun than any of the known planets.

—Jane X. Luu et al.

As the observer looks at a star or other celestial body its light rays pass through a single point on the earth's surface.

—Dutton's Navigation and Piloting, 14th edition

A black hole forms when a star or other celestial object collapses under the pull of its own gravity.

—Mary Durack Miller

called also heavenly body

Examples of celestial body in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In a system of two celestial bodies, such a prediction can readily be made. —Andrew F. Krepinevich Jr., Foreign Affairs, 19 Apr. 2022

This means that the celestial body is at its peak activity, releasing higher levels of radiation and solar particles. —Devika Rao, theweek, 28 May 2024

However, this reclassification has not caused Arizona's pride in the celestial body to wane. —Brenna Gauchat, The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2024

This is the problem of trying to predict the motion of three celestial bodies based on their initial positions and velocities. —Andrew F. Krepinevich Jr., Foreign Affairs, 19 Apr. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above