cis-Neptunian

English

Etymology

From cis- +‎ Neptunian; compare trans-Neptunian.

Adjective

cis-Neptunian (not comparable)

  1. (astronomy) Relating to an astronomical body found within the orbit of Neptune.
    • 2018, Michael Perryman, The Exoplanet Handbook, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 684:
      Within the orbit of Neptune, cis-Neptunian bodies include the terrestrial and large gaseous planets, along with a variety of minor bodies: planetary moons, asteroids, and comets.

Usage notes
  • The definition is somewhat vague: an object whose orbit is only partly inside that of Neptune might be neither cis-Neptunian nor trans-Neptunian – or perhaps both.
  • The term is usually only applied to small Solar System bodies that directly orbit the Sun. It also may be stipulated that the orbit be beyond that of Jupiter.
  • Neptunian trojans, which share Neptune's orbit, may or may not be included.

Further reading
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.