Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Solar
So′lar
,Noun.
A loft or upper chamber; a garret room.
[Obs.]
[Written also
soler
, solere
, sollar
.] Oxf. Gloss.
So′lar
,Adj.
1.
Of or pertaining to the sun; proceeding from the sun;
as, the
. See solar
system; solar
light; solar
rays; solar
influenceSolar system
, below. 2.
(Astrol.)
Born under the predominant influence of the sun.
[Obs.]
And proud beside, as
solar
people are. Dryden.
3.
Measured by the progress or revolution of the sun in the ecliptic;
as, the
. solar
year4.
Produced by the action of the sun, or peculiarly affected by its influence.
They denominate some herbs
solar
, and some lunar. Bacon.
Solar cycle
. See under
– Cycle
. Solar day
. See
– Day
, 2. Solar engine
, an engine in which the energy of solar heat is used to produce motion, as in evaporating water for a steam engine, or expanding air for an air engine.
– Solar flowers
(Bot.)
, flowers which open and shut daily at certain hours.
– Solar lamp
, an argand lamp.
– Solar microscope
, a microscope consisting essentially, first, of a mirror for reflecting a beam of sunlight through the tube, which sometimes is fixed in a window shutter; secondly, of a condenser, or large lens, for converging the beam upon the object; and, thirdly, of a small lens, or magnifier, for throwing an enlarged image of the object at its focus upon a screen in a dark room or in a darkened box.
Solar month
. See under
– Month
. Solar oil
, a paraffin oil used an illuminant and lubricant.
– Solar phosphori
(Physics)
, certain substances, as the diamond, siulphide of barium (Bolognese or Bologna phosphorus), calcium sulphide, etc., which become phosphorescent, and shine in the dark, after exposure to sunlight or other intense light.
– Solar plexus
(Anat.)
, a nervous plexus situated in the dorsal and anterior part of the abdomen, consisting of several sympathetic ganglia with connecting and radiating nerve fibers; – so called in allusion to the radiating nerve fibers.
– Solar spots
. See
– Sun spots
, under Sun
. Solar system
(Astron.)
, the sun, with the group of celestial bodies which, held by its attraction, revolve round it. The system comprises the major planets, with their satellites; the minor planets, or asteroids, and the comets; also, the meteorids, the matter that furnishes the zodiacal light, and the rings of Saturn. The satellites that revolve about the major planets are twenty-two in number, of which the Earth has one (see
Moon
.), Mars two, Jupiter five, Saturn nine, Uranus four, and Neptune one. The asteroids, between Mars and Jupiter, thus far discovered (1900), number about five hundred, the first four of which were found near the beginning of the century, and are called Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta. The principal elements of the major planets, and of the comets seen at more than one perihelion passage, are exhibited in the following tables: –
I. – Major Planets.
Symbol.
Name.
Mean distance – that of the Earth being unity.
Period in days.
Eccentricity.
Inclination of orbit.
Diameter in miles
II. – Periodic Comets.
Name.
Greatest distance from sun.
Least distance from sun.
Inclination of orbit.
Perihelion passage.
° ′ 54
Encke’s
3.31
4.10
0.342
12 54
1885.2
Solar telegraph
, telegraph for signaling by flashes of reflected sunlight.
– Solar time
. See
Apparent time
, under Time
. Webster 1828 Edition
Solar
SO'LAR
,Adj.
1.
Pertaining to the sun, as the solar system;2.
Belonging to the sun as solar herbs. [Not used.]3.
In astrology, born under the predominant influence of the sun; as a solar people.4.
Measured by the progress of the sun, or by its revolution; as the solar year.