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Astronomy (thesaurus)

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Concept information

Preferred term

geodesic  

Definition

  • A geodesic is a path on a given surface that is as straight as possible; in other words, a path that doesn't deviate either to the left or to the right, and only bends when forced to do so by the curvature (if any) of the surface. If the surface is an ordinary plane, the geodesics are straight lines; on a sphere the geodesics are great circles. (Encyclopedia of Science, by David Darling, https://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/G/geodesic.html)

Broader concept

Entry terms

  • geodesic line

In other languages

URI

http://data.loterre.fr/ark:/67375/MDL-X9X7MS0N-K

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