Equinoctial

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Equator \E*qua"tor\, n. [L. aequator one who equalizes: cf. F.
     ['e]quateur equator. See {Equate}.]
     1. (Geog.) The imaginary great circle on the earth's surface,
        everywhere equally distant from the two poles, and
        dividing the earth's surface into two hemispheres.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. (Astron.) The great circle of the celestial sphere,
        coincident with the plane of the earth's equator; -- so
        called because when the sun is in it, the days and nights
        are of equal length; hence called also the {equinoctial},
        and on maps, globes, etc., the {equinoctial line}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Equator of the sun} or {Equator of a planet} (Astron.), the
        great circle whose plane passes through through the center
        of the body, and is perpendicular to its axis of
        revolution.
  
     {Magnetic equator}. See {Aclinic}.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Equinoctial \E`qui*noc"tial\, a. [L. aequinoctials, fr.
     aequinoctium equinox: cf. F. ['e]quinoxial. See {Equinox}.]
     1. Pertaining to an equinox, or the equinoxes, or to the time
        of equal day and night; as, the equinoctial line.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Pertaining to the regions or climate of the equinoctial
        line or equator; in or near that line; as, equinoctial
        heat; an equinoctial sun.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Pertaining to the time when the sun enters the equinoctial
        points; as, an equinoctial gale or storm, that is, one
        happening at or near the time of the equinox, in any part
        of the world.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Equinoctial colure} (Astron.), the meridian passing through
        the equinoctial points.
  
     {Equinoctial line} (Astron.), the celestial equator; -- so
        called because when the sun is on it, the nights and days
        are of equal length in all parts of the world. See
        {Equator}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Thrice the equinoctial line
              He circled.                           --Milton.
  
     {Equinoctial points} (Astron.), the two points where the
        celestial and ecliptic intersect each other; the one being
        in the first point of Aries, the other in the first point
        of Libra.
  
     {Equinoctial time} (Astron.) reckoned in any year from the
        instant when the mean sun is at the mean vernal
        equinoctial point.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Equinoctial \E`qui*noc"tial\, n.
     The equinoctial line.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  equinoctial
       adj 1: relating to the vicinity of the equator
       2: relating to an equinox (when the lengths or night and day
          are equal)
       n : the great circle on the celestial sphere midway between the
           celestial poles [syn: {celestial equator}, {equinoctial
           circle}, {equinoctial line}]