inclination

inclination,

in astronomy, the angle of intersection between two planes, one of which is an orbital plane. The inclination of the plane of the moon's orbit is 5°9' with respect to the plane of the ecliptic (the plane of the earth's orbit around the sun). The inclination of the plane of the ecliptic relative to the plane of the earth's equator is 23°27'8.26"; this angle is called the obliquity of the ecliptic.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia™ Copyright © 2013, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/

inclination

1. Symbol: i . The angle between the orbital plane of a celestial body and a reference plane. For a planet or comet the reference plane is the plane of the ecliptic, for a satellite it is the primary's equatorial plane, and for a double star it is the plane of the sky. Inclination is one of the orbital elements and varies between 0 and 180°, being less than 90° for a body with direct motion.

2. (axial inclination) The angle between the rotational axis of a body and a line perpendicular to its orbital plane. See also Tables 1–3, backmatter.

Collins Dictionary of Astronomy © Market House Books Ltd, 2006

Inclination

(religion, spiritualism, and occult)

An inclination is the angle at which two planes cross. In astrology, it is used to refer to the movement of a celestial body to a position other than the one occupied at birth.

The Astrology Book, Second Edition © 2003 Visible Ink Press®. All rights reserved.

inclination

[‚iŋ·klə′nā·shən]

(geology)

The angle at which a geological body or surface deviates from the horizontal or vertical; often used synonymously with dip.

(geophysics)

In magnetic inclination, the dip angle of the earth's magnetic field. Also known as magnetic dip.

(mathematics)

The inclination of a line in a plane is the angle made with the positive x axis.

The inclination of a line in space with respect to a plane is the smaller angle the line makes with its orthogonal projection in the plane.

The inclination of a plane with respect to a given plane is the smaller of the dihedral angles which it makes with the given plane.

(science and technology)

Angular deviation of a direction or surface from the true vertical or horizontal.

The angle which a direction or surface makes with the vertical or horizontal.

A surface which deviates from the vertical or horizontal.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

inclination

The angle which a line or surface makes with the vertical, horizontal, or with another line or surface.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

inclination

As it pertains to meteorology, the angle between an isobar and the wind or airflow at a given point.

An Illustrated Dictionary of Aviation Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

inclination

1. Maths

a. the angle between a line on a graph and the positive limb of the x-axis

b. the smaller dihedral angle between one plane and another

2. Astronomy the angle between the plane of the orbit of a planet or comet and another plane, usually that of the ecliptic

3. Physics another name for dip

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005