libration
noun
li·bra·tion
lī-ˈbrā-shən 
: an oscillation in the apparent aspect of a secondary body (such as a planet or a satellite) as seen from the primary object around which it revolves
Examples of libration in a Sentence
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The Artemis 4 candidate landing sites are grouped around the south pole below Moretus at the extreme edge of the lunar disk, though only a glimpse of the most northerly sites such as Nobel Crater and Malapert Massif can be spotted when lunar libration is favorable.
—
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
But each full moon varies month to month, due to its slightly shifting orientation, known as libration, and the changing distance from Earth in its elliptical orbit.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 19 July 2024
The discovery pivots on the detection of a curious libration—a wobble—in the rotation of Mimas.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2022
Based on the new model and Enceladus' libration — relatively large back-and-forth swings during its orbit — the data indicate the moon's ocean is only a few miles beneath the surface.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2016
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Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
But each full moon varies month to month, due to its slightly shifting orientation, known as libration, and the changing distance from Earth in its elliptical orbit.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 19 July 2024
The discovery pivots on the detection of a curious libration—a wobble—in the rotation of Mimas.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2022
Based on the new model and Enceladus' libration — relatively large back-and-forth swings during its orbit — the data indicate the moon's ocean is only a few miles beneath the surface.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2016
Cite this Entry
“Libration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/libration. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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