ecliptic
ih-KLIP-tik
Definition
The apparent annual path of the Sun against the background of the stars as observed from Earth, which also serves as the reference plane for the orbits of the planets in our solar system.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'ekleiptikos', meaning 'pertaining to an eclipse', because solar and lunar eclipses occur only when the moon crosses this specific path.
In the news
The article uses the word to explain the orbital plane of the planets, noting that the spacecraft was deflected at a sharp angle away from this reference line.
Voyager 2 flew so far below the plane of the solar system after Neptune that only one antenna on Earth can still send it commands, a 70-metre dish outside Canberra, which went offline for eleven months of repairs in 2020 while the spacecraft flew on in silence
Read the full article ↗Space Daily