perihelion

noun

peri·he·lion ˌper-ə-ˈhēl-yən

plural perihelia ˌper-ə-ˈhēl-yə

: the point nearest to the sun in the path of an orbiting celestial body (such as a planet) compare aphelion

perihelial

ˌper-ə-ˈhēl-yəl

adjective

Examples of perihelion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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As the comet approached its perihelion—the closest point in its orbit to the Sun—at around 7:30 a.m. —

Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 31 Oct. 2024 During the probe's Dec. 24 close approach, known as perihelion, NASA mission control will be unable to contact Parker for some three days. —

Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024 The comet Lovejoy, which reached its perihelion in Dec. 2011, remains the only Kreutz Path comet to have survived its brush with the sun. —

Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 31 Oct. 2024 The comet successfully reached perihelion, its closest point to the sun in its orbital path around the parent star, on September 27, and was visible for those in the Southern Hemisphere in September and early October. —

Ashley Strickland, CNN, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for perihelion