Dictionary term
Periapsis
Direct answer
Periapsis is the point in an orbit nearest the body or barycenter serving as its focus.
It is the generic nearest point of an orbit.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Also appears in
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Aliases
- None listed
- Last updated
- 2026-07-16
Quick reference
- Use when
- Name the central body when a specialized term improves clarity.
- Do not use it for
- Nearest orbital point is not necessarily nearest to an observer elsewhere.
- Reference category
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Related terms
- Sidereal Period, Synodic Period, Apoapsis, Perihelion
The story behind Periapsis
Conic-section orbit theory supplied a general vocabulary for nearest approach.
Periapsis in spiritual tradition
Closeness depends on which relationship is being measured.
The Great Almanac frames Periapsis with educational restraint. Mystical or symbolic language may be meaningful, but it should not be exaggerated into certainty, panic, or permission to ignore ordinary responsibility.
Periapsis in the Bible
This is a factual astronomy reference. It can support wonder at the created order without becoming a claim of fate, worship, or private revelation.
Periapsis in numerology
Periapsis is not a numerology claim. Any numbers attached to it should retain their ordinary scientific, calendrical, navigational, or historical meaning unless a separate symbolic interpretation is clearly labeled.
Why Periapsis matters
It unifies specialized terms such as perihelion and perigee.
Example in a reading: A spacecraft around Mars reaches periapsis at its minimum orbital radius.
Interpretive caution: Nearest orbital point is not necessarily nearest to an observer elsewhere.
How Periapsis is used in a reading
Name the central body when a specialized term improves clarity.
Where interpretation stops
Periapsis is presented as sourced astronomy, calendrical, Earth-science, cultural, or instrument-history reference. Definitions should distinguish measured phenomena from civil convention and historical interpretation, preserve location and time dependencies, and avoid turning factual sky data into a deterministic personal claim.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- NASA Science: Orbits and Kepler’s Laws - NASA explanation of orbital ellipses, orbital periods, and Kepler’s laws of planetary motion.
- U.S. Naval Observatory: Astronomical Almanac Glossary - Definitions for astronomical coordinates, time, reference systems, and observable phenomena.
The page starts with a direct definition, then separates use, example, caution, spiritual meaning, and historical context. For astrology, occult, demonology, curse, and spiritual warfare terms, the editorial rule is to explain the term without making fear-based, fatalistic, medical, legal, financial, or ritual-instruction claims.
Continue learning
Continue from the definition into current sky positions, space weather, and the live collective celestial view.
Open Worldwide WatchRelated terms
These related entries help place Periapsis inside a wider reference cluster instead of leaving it as a standalone keyword.
