noun
- plural of apolune; the points in an orbit around the Moon that are farthest from the Moon's center.
Usage: astronomy; technical term; used in lunar orbital mechanics
Examples
- The spacecraft's trajectory included two apolunes during its lunar orbit.
- Apolunes occur at the farthest point from the Moon in an elliptical orbit.
- Engineers calculated the apolunes to ensure the probe would not escape lunar gravity.
- The satellite reached its apolunes and began its descent toward the lunar surface.