gravity well

English

Etymology

From gravity +‎ well, (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Who coined this? When?”)

Noun

gravity well (plural gravity wells)

1. (astrodynamics) The area of space around a celestial body that is dominated by the body's gravitational field.

   Synonym: gravitational well

   • 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Altanorch:

     Altanorch is a small but typical hydrogen-helium gas giant with no outstanding features. Its combination of strong magnetic field and relatively shallow gravity well make it a popular "stopover" world for discharging FTL drive cores.

Translations

Translations

• Dutch: zwaartekrachtput m
• Finnish: painovoimakaivo
• French: puits gravitationnel m
• Japanese: 重力井戸 (じゅうりょくいど, juuryokuido)