Major axis

Major axis

(1) The longest line that can be drawn thru the centre of an ellipse or ellipsoid to the figure. (2) Any one of the set of lines of greatest length that can be drawn thru the centre and from one side to the other of a spheroid. It is usually referred to as a major axis or an axis in the equatorial plane if the set contains more than one such line. Note that the major axis may also be the axis of rotation.

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Part of Speech: noun
Synonym(s):
Blossary:
Industry/Domain: Earth science
Category: Mapping science
Company: American Congress on Surveying & Mapping
Product:
Acronym-Abbreviation:

Collect to Blossary

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Related terms

major axis

Earth science; Mapping science

(1) The longest line that can be drawn thru the center of an ellipse or ellipsoid to the figure. (2) Any one of the set of lines of greatest length that can be drawn thru the ...

major axis

Aerospace; Space flight

The maximum diameter of an ellipse.

major axis

Mathematics; Algebra

The longer axis of an ellipse.

semi-major axis

Aerospace; Space flight

Half the distance of an ellipse's maximum diameter, the distance from the center of the ellipse to one end.

major axis of an ellipse

Aviation; Aeronautics

A line passing through the two focuses of an ellipse.

semi-major axis

Astronomy; General astronomy

the distance between the center of an elliptical orbit and one end of the orbit along the long dimension of the elliptical orbit. It equals the average distance between two ...

subtropical

Earth science; Mapping science

Relating to the warmest region of the Temperate Zones that border on the Torrid Zone.

sky

Earth science; Mapping science

The region above and beyond the Earth, as it is seen looking up from the ground. Sky looks blue during the day and dark at night.

South Pole

Earth science; Mapping science

The most southern point of the Earth. The South Pole is the southern end of the axis on which the Earth rotates.

prime meridian

Earth science; Mapping science

The line of longitude that passes through the town of Greenwich, England, and that measures 0 degree. It is the line from which other longitude lines are measured.

planet

Earth science; Mapping science

A celestial body revolving around a sun in a nearly circular orbit. This definition excludes comets, which have highly elliptical orbits. However, it may also exclude some of ...

area of error

Earth science; Mapping science

A figure within which the true location of a point whose location has been determined by measurement is believed to lie, with stated degree of probability.