diurnal motion

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. the apparent daily motion, caused by the earth's rotation, of celestial bodies across the sky.

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diurnal motion British  

noun

1. motion that occurs during the day or daily, such as the diurnal rotation of the celestial sphere

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Example Sentences

Thus far, we have not given the earth any diurnal motion around its axis.

From Memoirs of Service Afloat, During the War Between the States by Semmes, Raphael

In fact, he speaks of the diurnal motion of the earth as 'an opinion which we can demonstrate to be most false;' doubtless having in his thoughts some such arguments as misled Tycho Brahe.

From Myths and Marvels of Astronomy by Proctor, Richard A. (Richard Anthony)

A planet is said to be accelerated when its actual diurnal motion exceeds its mean.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir

The diurnal motion of the earth was hardly suspected until a hundred years later.

From Great Men and Famous Women. Vol. 5 A series of pen and pencil sketches of the lives of more than 200 of the most prominent personages in History by Horne, Charles F. (Charles Francis)

The lunar tide is a perturbation in the diurnal motion of the sea, and its amount is therefore a legitimate mode of calculating the moon's mass.

From Pioneers of Science by Lodge, Oliver, Sir