astrometry

[ uh-strom-i-tree ]

noun

1. the branch of astronomy that deals with the measurement of the positions and motions of the celestial bodies.

astrometry

/ ˌæstrəˈmɛtrɪk; əˈstrɒmɪtrɪ /

noun

1. the branch of astronomy concerned with the measurement of the position and motion of celestial bodies

astrometry

/ ə-strŏm′ĭ-trē /

1. The scientific measurement of the positions and motions of celestial bodies.

Derived Forms

• astrometric, adjective

Other Words From

• as·tro·met·ric [as-troh-, me, -trik], astro·metri·cal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of astrometry¹

First recorded in 1865–70; astro- + -metry

Example Sentences

Fusing astrometry and direct imaging not only opens the door to finding more targets; it also eliminates some of this guesswork by revealing each newfound planet’s orbit and mass, along with its atmosphere.

From Scientific American

A related technique, astrometry, could do much the same thing, pinpointing planetary masses by measuring how each world’s gravitational influence slightly shifts its star’s position in the plane of the sky.

From Scientific American

"We show that the existence of the planet can be ascertained, and its true mass can be determined with high accuracy, by combining Gaia astrometry and radial velocities."

From Fox News

Measuring these shifts, or parallaxes, lets astronomers calculate the stars’ actual positions and movements through the galaxy with great precision, a field of study called astrometry that Gaia and its predecessor Hipparcos have revitalized.

From National Geographic

The astrometry data collected by Gaia will augment scientific observations made by powerful ground-based telescopes.

From Forbes

Related Words

• horoscope