What does pericenter mean?
The point in the orbit of a celestial body at which it is closest to the body it is orbiting. In the case of an elliptical orbit, the pericenter is the closest point and the apocenter is the farthest point.
Example
"The spacecraft flew by the planet at its pericenter, where it was able to collect valuable data about the planet's atmosphere."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.