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Burke. Conservation of areas (Astron.), the principle that the radius vector drawn from a planet to the sun sweeps over equal areas in equal times. -- Conservation of energy, or Conservation of force (Mech.), the principle that the total energy of any material system is a quantity which can neither be increased nor di…

Shortened or reduced; -- said of the distance of a planet from the sun or earth, as measured in the plane of the ecliptic, or the distance from the sun or earth to that point where a perpendicular, let fall from the planet upon the plane of the ecliptic, meets the ecliptic. Curtate cycloid. (Math.) See Cycloid.…

The interval by which the curtate distance of a planet is less than the true distance.

An aspect or position of two planets, when they are distant from each other a tenth part of the zodiac, or 36º.

; moving downwards. Descending constellations or signs (Astron.), those through which the planets descent toward the south. -- Descending node (Astron.), that point in a planet's orbit where it intersects the ecliptic in passing southward. -- Descending series (Math.), a series in which each term is numerically small…

The elongation, or angular distance from the sun; -- said chiefly of the inferior planets. [R.]

In the direction of the general planetary motion, or from west to east; in the order of the signs; not retrograde; -- said of the motion of a celestial body. Direct action. (Mach.) See Direct-acting. -- Direct discourse (Gram.), the language of any one quoted without change in its form; as, he said "I can not come;" -…

An unpropitious or baleful aspect of a planet or star; malevolent influence of a heavenly body; hence, an ill portent. [Obs.] Disasters in the sun. Shak.

The planet which is lord of the sign where another planet is. [Obs.] Crabb.

h's diurnal motion. -- Diurnal parallax. See under Parallax. -- Diurnal revolution of a planet, the motion of the planet upon its own axis which constitutes one complete revolution.

The globe or planet which we inhabit; the world, in distinction from the sun, moon, or stars. Also, this world as the dwelling place of mortals, in distinction from the dwelling place of spirits. That law preserves the earth a sphere And guides the planets in their course. S. Rogers. In heaven, or earth, or under earth…

In the Ptolemaic system, the supposed circular orbit of a planet about the earth, but with the earth not in its center.

rver. A satellite is eclipsed by entering the shadow of its primary. The obscuration of a planet or star by the moon or a planet, though of the nature of an eclipse, is called an occultation. The eclipse of a small portion of the sun by Mercury or Venus is called a transit of the planet.

The passing off from the sun's disk of an inferior planet, in a transit.

a system of calculations depends, or general conclusions are based; as, the elements of a planet's orbit.

The elliptical orbit of a planet. The Sun flies forward to his brother Sun; The dark Earth follows wheeled in her ellipse. Tennyson.

r pertaining to an ellipse; having the form of an ellipse; oblong, with rounded ends. The planets move in elliptic orbits. Cheyne.

To depart to, or be at, a distance; esp., to recede apparently from the sun, as a planet in its orbit. [R.]

The angular distance of a planet from the sun; as, the elongation of Venus or Mercury.

Any tabular statement of the assigned places of a heavenly body, as a planet or comet, on several successive days.