Apocentricity

/ˌæpoʊsenˈtrɪsɪti/ noun

Definition

The quality or state of being apocentric; the degree to which an orbit is eccentric, measured in relation to the apocenter.

Etymology

From apocentric + -ity (noun suffix forming abstract concepts). Rare astronomical/mathematical term.

Kelly Says

Apocentricity quantifies how oval an orbit is—a perfect circle has zero apocentricity, but comets have extreme apocentricity, plummeting close to the Sun then rising far away, a journey that shapes their tails and visibility.

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