What does libration mean?

Definitions for libration
laɪˈbreɪ ʃənli·bra·tion

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word libration.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. librationnoun

    (astronomy) a real or apparent slow oscillation of a moon or satellite

    "the libration of the moon"

Wiktionary

  1. librationnoun

    The act of librating.

  2. librationnoun

    The apparent wobble or variation in the visible side of the Moon that permanently faces the Earth, allowing observers on Earth to see, over a period of time, slightly more than half of the lunar surface.

  3. librationnoun

    A similar rotational or orbital characteristic of some other celestial body.

  4. Etymology: From libratio, from libro.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Librationnoun

    Etymology: libratio, Latin; libration, French.

    This is what may be said of the balance, and the libration, of the body. John Dryden, Dufresnoy.

    Their pinions still
    In loose librations stretch’d, to trust the void
    Trembling refuse. James Thomson, Spring.

    Those planets which move upon their axis, do not all make intire revolutions; for the moon maketh only a kind of libration, or a reciprocated motion on her own axis. Nehemiah Grew.

Wikipedia

  1. Libration

    In lunar astronomy, libration is the wagging or wavering of the Moon perceived by Earth-bound observers and caused by changes in their perspective. It permits an observer to see slightly different hemispheres of the surface at different times. It is similar in both cause and effect to the changes in the Moon's apparent size due to changes in distance. It is caused by three mechanisms detailed below, two of which cause a relatively tiny physical libration via tidal forces exerted by the Earth. Such true librations are known as well for other moons with locked rotation. The quite different phenomenon of a trojan asteroid's movement has been called Trojan libration; and Trojan libration point means Lagrangian point.

ChatGPT

  1. libration

    Libration is a term in astronomy and physics that refers to the oscillating motion of a celestial body, such as a moon or planet, from the perspective of an observer on a different celestial body. This motion can make it possible to see different portions of the celestial body's surface at different times. Libration can occur as a result of different factors including orbital eccentricity and differences in orbital speed.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Librationnoun

    the act or state of librating

  2. Librationnoun

    a real or apparent libratory motion, like that of a balance before coming to rest

  3. Etymology: [L. libratio: cf. F. libration.]

Wikidata

  1. Libration

    In astronomy, libration is an oscillating motion of orbiting bodies relative to each other, notably including the motion of the Moon relative to Earth, or of Trojan asteroids relative to planets.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

  1. Libration

    the name given to certain apparent movements in the moon as if it swayed like a balance both in latitude and longitude in its revolution round the earth.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of libration in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of libration in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

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"libration." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 2 Jun 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/libration>.

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