EQUATORIALS

Noun

equatorials

plural of equatorial

Source: Wiktionary


EQUATORIAL

E`qua*to"ri*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. Ă©quatorial.]

Definition: Of or pertaining to the equator; as, equatorial climates; also, pertaining to an equatorial instrument.

E`qua*to"ri*al, n. (Astron.)

Definition: An instrument consisting of a telescope so mounted as to have two axes of motion at right angles to each other, one of them parallel to the axis of the earth, and each carrying a graduated circle, the one for measuring declination, and the other right ascension, or the hour angle, so that the telescope may be directed, even in the daytime, to any star or other object whose right ascension and declination are known. The motion in right ascension is sometimes communicated by clockwork, so as to keep the object constantly in the field of the telescope. Called also an equatorial telescope.

Note: The term equatorial, or equatorial instrument, is sometimes applied to any astronomical instrument which has its principal axis of rotation parallel to the axis of the earth.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

26 November 2024

TRANSPOSITION

(noun) (music) playing in a different key from the key intended; moving the pitch of a piece of music upwards or downwards


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Coffee Trivia

Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Goat herders in Ethiopia noticed their goats seem to be “dancing” after eating berries from a particular shrub. They reported it to the local monastery, and a monk made a drink out of it. The monk found out he felt energized and kept him awake at night. That’s how the first coffee drink was born.

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