In astronomy, a point used in models of planetary motion where an orbiting body appears to move at a constant angular velocity.
From Medieval Latin 'aequans' (making equal), from 'aequare' (to make equal). Ptolemy used this geometric trick to make irregular planetary paths appear uniform.
The 'equant point' was Ptolemy's creative cheat code—by placing the observer at an imaginary spot instead of Earth's center, orbits looked perfectly regular, hiding the real physics for 1,400 years.
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