libration

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li·bra·tion

(lī-brā′shən)

A very slow oscillation, real or apparent, of a satellite as viewed from the larger celestial body around which it revolves.

[Latin lībrātiō, lībrātiōn-, oscillation, from lībrātus, past participle of lībrāre, to balance, from lībra, balance.]

li′brate′ (lī′brāt′) v.

li·bra′tion·al adj.

li′bra·to′ry (-brə-tôr′ē) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

libration

(laɪˈbreɪʃən)

1. the act or an instance of oscillating

2. (Astronomy) a real or apparent oscillation of the moon enabling approximately 59 per cent of the surface to be visible from the earth over a period of time

[C17: from Latin librātus, from librāre to balance]

liˈbrational adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

li•bra•tion

(laɪˈbreɪ ʃən)

n.

a real or apparent oscillatory motion, esp. of the moon.

[1595–1605; < Latin lībrātiō act of leveling = lībrā(re) to level, balance, derivative of lībra pair of scales + -tiō -tion]

li•bra′tion•al, adj.

li′bra•to`ry (-brəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i) adj.

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Noun

libration - (astronomy) a real or apparent slow oscillation of a moon or satellite; "the libration of the moon"

astronomy, uranology - the branch of physics that studies celestial bodies and the universe as a whole

variation - (astronomy) any perturbation of the mean motion or orbit of a planet or satellite (especially a perturbation of the earth's moon)

oscillation - the process of oscillating between states

Translations

librazione

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References in periodicals archive ?

Scientists think Enceladus has an ocean in part because it wobbles, or librates, significantly in its orbit around Saturn, which wouldn't happen if it were solid throughout and "all but proves the ocean is there," says William McKinnon (Washington University in St.

Subsurface Ocean on Dione?

"Like Enceladus, Dione librates but below the detection level of Cassini,'' said Antony Trinh, co-author of the new study, in a statement.

Another Saturn Moon Has A Subsurface Ocean

"After carefully examining Mimas, we found it librates -- that is, it subtly wobbles -- around the moon's polar axis," said Radwan Tajeddine, Cornell University research associate in astronomy and lead author of the article.