solar mass

noun

: the mass of the sun used as a unit for the expression of the masses of other celestial objects and equal to about 2 × 1030 kilograms

Examples of solar mass in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Heating up the surface would increase the amount of solar wind production, which would increase the rate of solar mass loss. Paul Sutter, Ars Technica, 16 Apr. 2024 Even the littlest ones are big enough that researchers measure them in units of solar mass. Jackie Appel, Popular Mechanics, 21 Aug. 2023 The result, a neutron star, is approximately 1.3 to 2.5 solar masses — one solar mass is the mass of our sun, or about 330,000 Earths — crammed into a sphere measuring just 12 miles (20 kilometers) in diameter. Mindy Weisberger, Scientific American, 5 Jan. 2022 And so the missing solar mass worth of energy was radiated out across the universe as gravitational waves. Eric Betz, Discover Magazine, 1 June 2017 See all Example Sentences for solar mass 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'solar mass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of solar mass was in 1941

Dictionary Entries Near solar mass

Cite this Entry

“Solar mass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solar%20mass. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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