From: hrubin@stat.purdue.edu   
      
   In article ,   
   Henry Spencer  wrote:   
   >In article ,   
   >D Schneider  wrote:   
   >>> (** Technically "perigee" is correct only for an Earth orbit.  Tough. )   
      
   >>But isn't "periapsis" easier to remember than all the special versions?   
      
   >I tend to favor generalizing, using perihelion for stars, perigee for   
   >planets and smaller independent objects, and perilune for moons, with   
   >periapsis reserved for unusual situations.   
      
   I thought that perihelion is only for the Sun, with   
   periastron for stars.  I have seen the linguistic   
   bastard form "perijove" for Jupiter.   
      
      
      
   >"Think outside the box -- the box isn't our friend."    |   Henry Spencer   
   >                                -- George Herbert       | henry@spsystems.net   
      
      
   --   
   This address is for information only.  I do not claim that these views   
   are those of the Statistics Department or of Purdue University.   
   Herman Rubin, Department of Statistics, Purdue University   
   hrubin@stat.purdue.edu         Phone: (765)494-6054   FAX: (765)494-0558   
      
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