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"all of the planets rotate the sun in approximately the same ecliptic"nounthe great circle representing the apparent annual path of the sun; the plane of the Earth's orbit around the sun; makes an angle of about 23 degrees with the equatortype of:
Definition that contains ecliptic
- zodiac a belt-shaped region in the heavens on either side to the ecliptic; divided into 12 constellations or signs for astrological purposes
- gemini a zodiacal constellation in the northern hemisphere between Taurus and Cancer on the ecliptic
- equinox (astronomy) either of the two celestial points at which the celestial equator intersects the ecliptic
- inclination (astronomy) the angle between the plane of the orbit and the plane of the ecliptic stated in degrees
- descending node the point at which an orbit crosses the ecliptic plane going south
- zodiacal light a luminous tract in the sky; a reflection of sunlight from cosmic dust in the plane of the ecliptic; visible just before sunrise and just after sunset
- equinoctial point (astronomy) either of the two celestial points at which the celestial equator intersects the ecliptic
- inclination of an orbit (astronomy) the angle between the plane of the orbit and the plane of the ecliptic stated in degrees
- ascending node the point at which an orbit crosses the ecliptic plane going north
- precession of the equinoxes a slow westward shift of the equinoxes along the plane of the ecliptic caused by precession of the Earth's axis of rotation