Definition of magnetotail in English:
magnetotail
noun maɡˈniːtəʊteɪlmaɡˈnēdəˌtāl
Astronomy The broad elongated extension of the earth's magnetosphere on the side away from the sun.
Example sentencesExamples
- The magnetotail is the part of the magnetosphere pushed in the direction of the solar wind - shaped like a giant windsock and stretching at least two million kilometres into space on the night side of the Earth.
- "Earth's magnetotail extends well beyond the orbit of the moon and, once a month, the moon orbits through it," says Tim Stubbs, a University of Maryland scientist working at the Goddard Space Flight Center.
- The moon enters the magnetotail three days before it is full and takes about six days to cross and exit on the other side.
- In June 2001 Cluster began to explore the magnetotail - the region where storms of high energy particles are generated.
- The orbit has to have some inclination to it for the apoapsis to get into the magnetotail.