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celestial sphere
noun
: an imaginary sphere of infinite radius against which the celestial bodies appear to be projected and of which the apparent dome of the visible sky forms half
Examples of celestial sphere in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The 2024 total eclipse is caused by a rare alignment in celestial spheres that will send millions of people in the path of totality outside to peer at the sky.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
Dung beetles, Harbor seals and even the Albatross are also all cognizant of the celestial sphere in ways that still amaze and perplex.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
But from a terrestrial perspective, the celestial sphere appears essentially unchanging.
—Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 29 Aug. 2023
This pairing hums with a soft energy, attuned perhaps to the same celestial spheres that Gouverneur hoped to crack open.
—Kriston Capps, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2023
Certainly, this exploration of vocal extremes is an apt metaphor for the celestial sphere.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2023
Declination and right ascension are the two primary axes of the celestial sphere.
—Reece Rogers, WIRED, 21 Dec. 2022
More broadly, Indigenous science is often encoded into oral traditions or stories that serve as memory devices — meaning that important knowledge is commonly tied to the celestial sphere.
—Nikita Amir, Discover Magazine, 27 Oct. 2021
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Word History
First Known Use
1538, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near celestial sphere
Cite this Entry
“Celestial sphere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/celestial%20sphere. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
celestial sphere
noun
: an imaginary sphere of infinite radius against which the celestial bodies appear to be projected
More from Merriam-Webster on celestial sphere
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about celestial sphere
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