obliquity of the ecliptic

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.

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obliquity of the ecliptic

Symbol: ∊. The angle at which the ecliptic is inclined to the celestial equator. This angle, equal to the tilt of the Earth's axis, is about 23°26′. Precession and nutation cause this angle to change between the extremes of about 22.1° and 24.5°, altering (at present diminishing) by about 0″.47 per year. Its value on Jan. 1 2000 was 23°26′21″.

Collins Dictionary of Astronomy © Market House Books Ltd, 2006

obliquity of the ecliptic

[ə′blik·wəd·ē əvthə i′klip·tik]

(astronomy)

The acute angle between the plane of the ecliptic and the plane of the celestial equator, about 23°27′.

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

obliquity of the ecliptic

The angle between the plane of the equinoctial and that of the ecliptic. Its value is approximately 23½°.

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