Online Encyclopedia

NODE (Lat. nodus, a loop)

Online Encyclopedia
Originally appearing in Volume V19, Page 731 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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NODE (
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Lat. nodus, a
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loop)
  , i21 astronomy, one of two opposite points at which a heavenly
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body passes through the
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principal co-
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ordinate
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plane to which its motion is referred . In the case of the heavenly bodies this plane is commonly that of the
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ecliptic, but, in
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special cases, the plane through the origin parallel to the earth's equator or the plane of a planet's orbit is used . The ascending node is that at which the body moves from the south or negative towards the north or positive side of the plane . The moon's nodes are the points in which its path intercepts the plane of the ecliptic . In the
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geometry of curves, a node is the name given to the
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loop formed by a continuous curve
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crossing itself, the point of crossing is termed a " double point," and at it there are two non-coincident tangents to the curve; the remaining
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species of double points, termed " acnode," " spinode " or " cusp," admits of two coincident tangents (see CURVE) .

End of Article: NODE (Lat. nodus, a loop)
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CHARLES NODIER (1780-1844)

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