26 April 2016

perigee

[per-i-jee]

noun, Astronomy.

1. the point in the orbit of a heavenly body, especially the moon, or of an artificial satellite at which it is nearest to the earth.

Origin of perigee

French Greek
1585-1595; < French perigée < New Latin perigēum, perigaeum < Greek perígeion (sēmeîon limit), neuter of perígeios near, of the earth, equivalent to peri- peri- + -geios, adj. derivative of gaîa, gê the earth

Related forms

perigeal, perigean, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for perigee

Historical Examples

She occupied the exact point, to a mathematical nicety, where our 28th parallel crossed the perigee.
All Around the Moon
Jules Verne

That point of the moon’s orbit which is furthest from the earth; the opposite of perigee.
The Sailor’s Word-Book
William Henry Smyth

In 1907 Mars was in perigee, as it is termed, seven days after the opposition; while in 1909, perigee was before opposition.
To Mars via The Moon
Mark Wicks

Anagram

rig epee
gee ripe

Today’s quote

Life really does begin at forty. Up until then, you are just doing research.

– Carl Jung

On this day

26 April 121AD – birth of Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor. Died 17 March 180AD.

26 April 1865 – Union troopers corner and shoot dead John Wilkes Booth, the man who fired the fatal bullet on 14 April 1865 that assassinated President Abraham Lincoln.

26 April 1894 – birth of Rudolf Hess. Prominent Nazi politician who served as Deputy Fuhrer under Adolf Hitler. In 1941, Hess flew solo to Scotland in an effort to negotiate peace after being ignored by Hitler in various plans associated with the war. The flight was not sanctioned by Hitler. Hess was taken prisoner and charged with crimes against peace. He served a life sentence and remained in prison until his death. Died 17 August 1987.

26 April 1945 – birth of Dick Johnson, Australian racing car legend. Five-time Australian Touring Car Champion, three-time winner of the Bathurst 1000, inducted into the V8 Supercar Hall of Fame in 2001.

26 April 1986 – the Chernobyl nuclear disaster when an explosion and fire at the No 4 reactor in the Chernobyl nuclear plant, Ukraine, releases radioactive gas across Northern Europe. It is estimated to have killed up to 1 million people from radioactive related cancers.

26 April 1989 – the deadliest tornado in world history strikes Central Bangladesh, killing more than 1300, injuring 12,000 and leaving up to 80,000 homeless.