2. (Geom.) To touch closely, so as to have a common curvature at the point of contact. See {Osculation}, 2. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
osculating orbit — noun (astronomy) An ellipse whose elements represent the actual position and velocity of a comet at a given moment (the epoch of osculation) • • • Main Entry: ↑osculant … Useful english dictionary
Osculating orbit — In astronomy, and in particular in astrodynamics, the osculating orbit of an object in space (at a given moment of time) is the gravitational Kepler orbit (i.e. ellipse or other conic) that it would have about its central body (corresponding to… … Wikipedia
Osculating circle — Kissing circles redirects here. For Descartes theorem on mutually tangent (kissing) circles, see Descartes theorem. An osculating circle In differential geometry of curves, the osculating circle of a sufficiently smooth plane curve at a given… … Wikipedia
Osculating curve — A curve C containing a point P where the radius of curvature equals r, together with the tangent line and the osculating circle touching C at P In mathematics and geometry, an osculating curve is an extension of the concept of tangent. A tangent… … Wikipedia
Osculating plane — A space curve, Frenet–Serret frame, and the osculating plane (spanned by T and N). In mathematics, particularly in differential geometry, an osculating plane is a plane in a Euclidean space or affine space which meets a submanifold at a point in… … Wikipedia
Osculating circle of a curve — Circle Cir cle (s[ e]r k l), n. [OE. cercle, F. cercle, fr. L. circulus (Whence also AS. circul), dim. of circus circle, akin to Gr. kri kos, ki rkos, circle, ring. Cf. {Circus}, {Circum }.] [1913 Webster] 1. A plane figure, bounded by a single… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
osculating — adjective Having three or more points coincident with another … Wiktionary
osculating — os·cu·late || É‘skjÉ™leɪt / É’skÊŠ v. kiss; touch a curved surface … English contemporary dictionary
osculating circle — Math. See circle of curvature. [1810 20] * * * … Universalium
osculating plane — Math. the plane containing the circle of curvature of a point on a given curve. [1860 65] * * * … Universalium
