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precession Definition

pre·ces·sion (prē ses̸h′ən, pri-)

noun

  1. the act of preceding; precedence
  2. Astron. precession of the equinoxes
  3. Mech. an effect exhibited by a spinning body, as a top, when an applied torque tends to change the direction of its rotational axis, causing this axis generally to describe a cone and to turn at right angles to the direction of the torque

Etymology: ME < LL praecessio < L praecedere, to precede

Related Forms:

precession Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • call: The displacement of the position of the First Point of Aries with time is called the precession of the equinox.
  • cause: This difference creates a couple, and this couple causes precession.

Adjective modifier

  • gyroscopic: The name for both these twisting motions is gyroscopic precession.
  • luni-solar: The main 26,000-year effect is called luni-solar precession; the smaller, faster, periodic terms are called the nutation.
  • general: The combined effect is known as the general precession.
  • planetary: We also have to add in the planetary precession, which decreases the RA by a quantity a, during the same time interval.

Modifies a noun

  • cycle: The most important one right now is the near end of a half precession cycle which will leads to a huge world disaster.
  • routine: Conversions involving other epochs will require use of the appropriate precession routines before and after this routine is called.
  • magnetometer: The most common types of absolute instrument are the fluxgate theodolite for measuring D and I and the proton precession magnetometer for measuring F.
  • matrix: In each case, the named SLALIB routine generates the precession matrix for a given start and finish time.
  • software: Since the Browse precession software is not of astrometric accuracy, the precessed RA and Dec values will only be accurate to ~1 " .
  • time: The difference between these maps was chosen to be a whole multiple of the precession time for the fat signal at 3 Tesla.

Noun used with modifier

  • proton: The most common types of absolute instrument are the fluxgate theodolite for measuring D and I and the proton precession magnetometer for measuring F.
  • spin: We find extremely long-lived modes of spin precession, named ' persistent precessing domains ' ( PPD ) at the lowest achievable temperatures.

Possessives

  • earth: The Earth's precession leads to the precession of the equinoxes.

Preposition: of

  • equinox: The displacement of the position of the First Point of Aries with time is called the precession of the equinox.
  • earth: In approximately 12 000 years the precession of the Earth 's axis will mean Vega will be the Pole star.
  • orbit: The general Theory is also supported by the precession of the orbit of Mercury, the planet nearest the sun.
  • perihelion: Obtain the rate of precession of the perihelion of a planet.