Astronomical Year (Noun)
Meaning
The time for the earth to make one revolution around the sun, measured between two vernal equinoxes.
Classification
Nouns denoting time and temporal relations.
Examples
- An astronomical year is exactly 365.242199 days, which is why we add a leap day every four years to keep our calendar in sync with the seasons.
- The term astronomical year is often used interchangeably with the phrase tropical year, which is the time it takes the Earth to orbit the sun relative to the stars.
- As the length of an astronomical year is not a whole number, it can be difficult to divide it into equal periods for calendar purposes.
- In fact, an astronomical year is shorter than a sidereal year, which is the time it takes the Earth to orbit the sun relative to the fixed stars.
- An astronomical year can also be calculated by measuring the time between two consecutive perihelions, which occurs when the Earth is closest to the sun in its orbit.