ScienceAugust 9, 2026
altimeter
al-TIM-ih-ter
Definition
An instrument used to measure the altitude of an object above a fixed level, such as sea level or a planetary surface.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'altus' (high) and the Greek suffix '-metron' (measure), the term entered the English language in the 19th century to describe devices for measuring vertical distance.
In the news
The article mentions that the BepiColombo mission carries a laser altimeter to help map Mercury's topography and improve estimates of its core and mantle structure.
Mercury is the Solar System’s smallest planet, but its metallic core fills about 85 per cent of its radius, leaving a rocky shell so thin that cooling has crumpled the surface into cliffs hundreds of kilometres long
Read the full article ↗Space Daily