n. 黄道

a. 黄道的, 食的

[ noun ]
the 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 equator
<noun.location>
all of the planets rotate the sun in approximately the same ecliptic

Ecliptic \E*clip"tic\, a. [L. eclipticus belonging to an
eclipse, Gr. 'ekleiptiko`s. See {Eclipse}.]
1. Pertaining to the ecliptic; as, the ecliptic way.

2. Pertaining to an eclipse or to eclipses.

{Lunar ecliptic limit} (Astron.), the space of 12[deg] on the
moon's orbit from the node, within which, if the moon
happens to be at full, it will be eclipsed.

{Solar ecliptic limit}, the space of 17[deg] from the lunar
node, within which, if a conjunction of the sun and moon
occur, the sun will be eclipsed.

ecliptic \e*clip"tic\ ([-e]*kl[i^]p"t[i^]k), n. [Cf. F.
['e]cliptique, L. linea ecliptica, Gr. 'ekleiptiko`s, prop.
adj., of an eclipse, because in this circle eclipses of the
sun and moon take place. See {Ecliptic}, a.]
1. (Astron.) A great circle of the celestial sphere, making
an angle with the equinoctial of about 23[deg] 28'. It is
the apparent path of the sun, or the real path of the
earth as seen from the sun.

2. (Geog.) A great circle drawn on a terrestrial globe,
making an angle of 23[deg] 28' with the equator; -- used
for illustrating and solving astronomical problems.